The attempted murder trial of a Corentyne man accused in a 2018 assault opened on Monday at the Berbice High Court, with the alleged victim taking the witness stand on the first day of proceedings.
Vishnu Deogeenarine, who is represented by Attorney Charlyn Artiga, appeared before Justice Deborah Kumar and pleaded not guilty to the charges laid against him.
Before a twelve-member jury, Deogeenarine denied allegations that he wounded or caused grievous bodily harm to Derick Drepaul between May 5 and 6, 2018, at Kilmarnock Village, Corentyne, Berbice. He also pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of felonious wounding arising out of the same incident.
State Prosecutor Marisa Edwards told the court that the prosecution intends to call ten witnesses, including police ranks and the virtual complainant. Seven witnesses, among them Drepaul, testified on the first day of the trial, with the remaining three expected to give evidence on Tuesday.
In his testimony, Drepaul told the court that he left his home at about 8:00 p.m. on the night in question to attend a wedding. While on his way, he said he met three friends in Maida Village and later encountered his brother-in-law upon arriving at the wedding venue.
Drepaul alleged that sometime later, Deogeenarine approached him and struck him on the head with a wooden object, causing him to fall to the ground. He further testified that after being assisted to his feet by his brother-in-law, he was struck again on the shoulder, causing him to fall a second time.
According to Drepaul, he subsequently lost consciousness and later regained awareness at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was treated for a wound to the right side of his head that required surgical intervention.
During cross-examination, Drepaul said he did not know Deogeenarine prior to the incident. However, Attorney Artiga challenged this assertion, pointing out that Drepaul had previously told investigators that the two were relatives. Drepaul also conceded that his friends were not present at the time of the alleged altercation.
He further acknowledged that his wife, referred to in court as “Sonia,” was also at the wedding but said they did not interact. Artiga suggested that the lack of interaction was due to her being in the company of Deogeenarine.
Drepaul denied suggestions put to him that he, along with his friends, had attacked Deogeenarine or that he had struck the accused, maintaining that it was Deogeenarine who assaulted him. He was also questioned about his ability to clearly identify his alleged attacker during the incident.
The trial continues, with the jury expected to assess the evidence presented before returning a verdict. Justice Kumar will then rule on the matter.
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