Today, Justice Denis Hanomansingh returned a guilty verdict to Lawrence Cholom, 35, in a trial without jury in the Dangriga Supreme Court. Cholom was accused of trying to kill Moses Williams, 26, by chopping him in his abdomen on August 29, 2010.

Senior Counsel Cecil Ramirez called Williams to the stand. He testified that at 2:30 on the afternoon of August 29, 2010, he was at the corner of Big Falls and the Rice Hill Road when he was attacked by Cholom, who stabbed him in his abdomen with a machete.

Williams was able to identify Cholom from the stand before stepping down.

Cholom was unrepresented in court and gave a dock statement in which he told the court that he and Williams had been struggling and he later observed blood coming from Williams, but he never admitted to stabbing him.

After hearing the evidence in the trial, Justice Hanomansingh delivered a guilty verdict to Cholom. Justice Hanomansingh has deferred sentencing for Cholom until December 17, 2013, allowing Cholom to prepare a mitigation plea, and also to bring witnesses to speak of his character.