Gang rape victim continues trial testimony

The constitutional redress of former Justice Meerabux is not the only high profile case being heard in the Supreme Court. News 5’s Ann-Marie Williams reports.

Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting

The trial of four teenagers: James Pelayo, Melvin Guzman, Ricardo Alamilla and Amir Sutherland accused of the attempted murder, rape and maim of a Ladyville woman, entered its second day today.

When the thirty-eight year old woman who is both the witness and the victim, took the stand this morning. She told the court that she identified three of her four assailants during three separate ID parades. She said the first was held at the Hattieville Police Station three days after the incident. During that time, twelve Hispanic males were lined up, or same height and built. She said she recognised one of them and when she saw him, she told the court “I was angry and I grabbed him, saying, you are the one.” She went on to say that she recognised him because she knew his face and he had a tattoo on the left side of the neck with the words “Putie” spelt out.

The witness told the court that there was also a second ID parade, which involved twelve Hispanic men of same height and same built. She said she recognised one of them as the assailant who had sexual intercourse with her against her will. When the prosecutor asked how she recognised the man, she said, “I know his face and he is one of my best friend’s son.”

The witness also made it clear that she identified the third assailant from an ID parade with eight Creole males with cornrows in their hair. She said he had a tattoo marked “Melva” on his left arm. Prosecutor Velda Flowers asked her where she saw the third person she named as Melvin Guzman. In a tearful testimony she said, “I saw him when the driver drove the pick-up truck on the feeder road. I also saw him face to face when he pulled off my pants and when he pulled off my panty and when he ordered me to lie down in the truck and had intercourse with me.”

Defence attorney for both James Pelayo and Ricardo Alamilla is Lutchman Sooknandan. In his cross-examination of the witness, he tried desperately to paint the witness as someone who was not sure of what happened to her during the May 2000 incident. He told the court that statements given to the police on May tenth and twelfth were not consistent with what she said in court.

Trail Judge John Gonzalez intervened on behalf of the witness, reminding Sooknandan that the witness said she was traumatised and cannot recall all that happened. Ann-Marie Williams for News 5.

The trial continues on Thursday when Melvin Guzman’s attorney, Oswald Twist, will cross-examine the witness.