Appeal Court to Deliver Ruling in Attempted Murder Case
January 1 2025- The Court of Appeal is poised to announce its decision on January 15, 2025, in an appeal filed
by Samuill Intiaz Shaw, also known as ‘Taliban’ and ‘Arno’.
Along with Ramsammy Angeshallam, referred to as ‘Babs’, Shaw was convicted in 2016 of the
attempted murder of Bajai Ramdass, popularly known as ‘Bruck Back.’
Shaw and Angeshallam were found guilty by a 12-member jury during the Berbice Criminal
Assizes at the High Court, following over two hours of deliberation. Presiding Judge Justice
Franklyn Holder sentenced Shaw to 17 years in prison and Angeshallam to 12 years.
Shaw’s appeal is built on allegations of procedural errors during the trial and claims that the
evidence was insufficient to support a conviction. The appellate judges will determine whether
to uphold the convictions, overturn the verdict, or order a retrial.
The conviction stemmed from a brutal altercation on January 16, 2012, at Crabwood Creek,
which left Ramdass wheelchair-bound and blind in one eye.
During his testimony at the trial, Ramdass revealed that he previously had an agreement with
Shaw to collaborate on planting plantains. However, the arrangement eventually collapsed
when Shaw refused to pay him, leading Ramdass to initiate legal proceedings against him.
Court documents detailed that Ramdass had visited a disputed plantain farm when Shaw and
Angeshallam ambushed him. Witnesses testified that Shaw fired a gun at Ramdass, inflicting
severe injuries, while Angeshallam, wielding a bicycle tube, attempted to drag Ramdass’s boat
toward Shaw. Allegedly, Shaw threatened to mutilate Ramdass during the attack.
Despite his critical injuries, Ramdass fought back with a cutlass, injuring Angeshallam before
feigning death to survive. Shaw subsequently fired a second shot at Ramdass, striking him in the
face. Both accused denied involvement in unsworn statements, attributing the shooting to the
victim’s brother, Jagdeo, nicknamed ‘Spraga.’
However, the jury dismissed their claims and returned a guilty verdict.
