A Moruga man was on Wednesday acquitted of shooting a fellow villager who accused him of the crime some 18 years ago.

Jagdeo Ramkissoon was before Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds charged with wounding with intent and possession of a firearm and ammunition.

It was alleged that on April 14, 2005, Harvey Ramkissoon was shot in the foot by Jagdeo Ramkissoon. The men are not related.

Jagdeo Ramkissoon opted for a judge-only trial which ended on Wednesday, with the judge finding him not guilty and ruling that there were several unexplained inconsistencies and contradictions in the State’s case which made her believe there was some fabrication of the evidence.

In delivering her verdict, she also ruled that while she accepted Harvey Ramkissoon suffered an injury to to his foot, she was not made sure by the prosecution’s evidence that it was Jagdeo who inflicted it.

The trial which began on March 20, was held virtually and in-person at the Judiciary’s virtual access customer centres at Princes Town, Point Fortin and O’Meara.

It was the prosecution’s case that sometime between 9.30-10 pm, Harvey and his friend Clyde Nandlal were close to his home at La Fortune Trace when they saw Jagdeo. Jagdeo told Harvey that his (Jagdeo’s) family did not like him (Harvey) and he was there “for him” that night.

It was then Jagdeo is alleged to have pointed a gun to Harvey’s chest before telling him, ‘yuh go take this.'”

Harvey then felt his right foot burning and Jagdeo allegedly escaped in some bushes while Nandlal took the injured man to his mother’s house.

Harvey and Nandlal testified at the trial as well as retired Cpl Ramoutar Ramdeen and Cpl Marlon Madhoo.

The State was represented by attorney Norma Peters while Jagdeo was represented by Darryl Douglas and Chimere Gibson-Wadi of the Public Defenders’ Department.

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