A jury on Friday found two men guilty of the 2006 murder of burger cart owner Harry Chatoor.
Marlon Hope, 46, and Nigel Charles, 59, were found guilty of felony murder which means that they would not be sentenced to hang but rather will be ordered to serve a term of imprisonment.
The rule of felony murder applies when someone is murdered in the commission of a crime. In this case, the crime was robbery.
The men will return to court on June 6 when their attorneys are expected to deliver a plea in mitigation on their behalf.
Chatoor, a pensioner, was shot in the bedroom of his home at St John’s Village thirteen years ago on July 7. He died at the hospital almost three weeks later.
Hope and Charles went on trial last month before Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas in the San Fernando First Criminal Court charged with Chatoor’s murder. The prosecution led by State attorneys Hema Soorjansingh and Candice Nanton led evidence from 21 witnesses, but not all the witnesses gave evidence in the witness box.
Some of the witnesses depositions from the magistrates’ court, including two deceased witnesses, were read to the jury. Chatoor’s son Rishi Chatoor who pointed out Hope in an identification parade was murdered in May 2015. The justice of the peace also died.
The State’s case was that Chatoor and his family were asleep when two men broke down the front door of their home. The men who were armed with guns announced a hold-up. They went into Chatoor’s bedroom and shot him.
Before escaping in a car, the men robbed the family of electronics, jewellery and money. Chatoor succumbed to his injury on July 26, 2006. He died from a gunshot wound to his abdomen, according to the post mortem report.
The State case was that on the day of the incident the police executed a search warrant at Hope’s home and found a cellular phone, jewellery and a cardboard box which were later identified by members of the Chatoor family. The police arrested Charles a week after the shooting and found a bag containing some of the stolen jewellery in his possession.
The police also found a gun on him and the State led forensic evidence that the bullet which killed Chatoor was fired from that gun.
Hope and Charles gave evidence and each called a witness to testify on their behalf. Hope, who was represented by attorneys Kevin Ratiram and Charlene Kalloo, said on the night of the incident he was at his Cocoyea Village home with his common-law wife who was then ailing from cancer.
Hope denied that the police found items belonging to the Chatoor’s at his house. Charles, who was represented by attorneys Renuka Rambhajan and Jared Ali, denied that the police found the gun and jewellery in his possession. The jury deliberated for almost three hours and came out twice for further directions before returning at 4.05 pm with the guilty verdicts.
The judge ordered biosocial and probation officer’s reports for both men which are to be submitted to the court on or before June 4.