Attorney make closing addresses

Closing addresses began on Friday in the trial of two men indicted for the murder of the wife of former supermarket owner Khalid “Uncle Khalid” Mohammed.

Sheldon Reid and Dewane Swan are before Justice Maria Wilson charged with the murder of Mala Mohamed on May 10, 2004, at her Edward Street, Princes Town home. She was shot in once in the head and once in the back as she reversed into her garage.

At Thursday’s sitting at the Hall of Justice, Port of Spain, the evidence of Mohammed’s maid was tendered as a formal admission. Also tendered was the criminal record for Reid who was convicted in 1995 and 2000 for possession of firearm and ammunition. Since the maid’s evidence was entered as a formal document she was not required to give her evidence in person.

According to the agreed evidence of Mohammed’s maid, Selene Banwaree Sookoo, Mohammed left her home that morning. Around 3 pm, she received a call from Mohammed and at about 5 pm, the watchman arrived at the house.

Around 11.30 pm, she again spoke to Mohammed and the watchman. Mohammed came to the house with her horn blowing, according to the admission. The watchman, Harry, opened the gate and the maid, who was at the window, went to open the front door for Mohammed when she reversed into her garage.

Sookoo said she heard Mohammed tell Harry there was a bag in her car she wanted him to take out. Harry was closing the gate, and then she said she heard Mohammed scream and as she was about to put her foot out the front door, she saw someone walking up o Harry.

The person had on a blue overall and white stockings like a glove on both hands. He was also masked and held two cutlasses in his hands. The maid said she panicked, ran to the kitchen and took the basement keys and ran down there. She hid under a pool table while she heard two gunshots.

She also heard footsteps and someone called out her name after which she opened the door and saw the neighbor and another man.

The document also said she saw Mohammed’s body on the ground “in a position like how Muslim does pray” and it was not moved that night but stayed in that position until the ambulance came.

After the admissions were tendered into evidence and read out to the jury, the prosecution closed the case and both men were invited to begin their defence by either testifying or calling witnesses. They both chose not to do either, after which Friday was set for the start of closing addresses to the jury by attorneys for the defence and the State.

Senior State attorneys Joy Balkaran and Candace Nanton are prosecuting while attorneys Wayne Sturge, Mario Merritt, Alexia Romero and Karunaa Bisramsingh are defending the two men.