Latest update December 21st, 2024 1:52 AM
Seaman charged with murder
… Cool Square robbery and killing
A 19-year-old seaman from East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme was yesterday charged in connection with the killing of Canada-based Guyanese Rawle Harding, who was gunned down at Cool Square almost a week ago.
Clad in black three quarter pants and a white jersey, police brought a tearful Junior Bourne up the court steps. As the charged was being read by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson, there were mixed reactions from the relatives.
Junior Bourne conceals his face as he leaves the courtroom yesterday.
Bourne, who was shaking uncontrollably, is accused of killing Rawle Harding on March 3. He was not required to plead to the indictable offence. He was unrepresented by lawyer yesterday.
His mother who was present in court yesterday screamed out in the courtroom as the charge was read to her son.
As Bourne stuttered to tell the magistrate his address, his mother was asked by the magistrate to state his address. The mother told the court that her son worked with her nephew as a seaman.
As the mother spoke to the magistrate Bourne kept shouting “that the police are always picking up people’s children and wrongfully putting them in prison”. He was remanded to prison and is expected to make another court appearance on March 31.
Bourne, according to the police, was part of a gang that stormed into the bar and killed Harding.
The suspect and others were detained on Saturday after police viewed images of the gunmen recorded on surveillance cameras at the popular West Ruimveldt nightspot.
Police sources said that they suspect that the man who shot the Canada-based Guyanese is a 27-year-old Vigilance, East Coast Demerara man who was taken into custody yesterday.
The Vigilance man was hunted by the police in Berbice for holding a woman hostage in her Canje home. He managed to elude the police but he kept telephoning the woman, even to the point of informing her that he had eluded the cordon and was now in the city.
Harding, his cousin and a friend were sitting at the bar having a drink when the two gunmen entered through the southern gate.
The surveillance tapes show that the bandits ordered two bottles of Mackeson stout and then sat drinking next to Harding and his friends.
One of the bandits looked across at Harding and noticed his jewellery and began whispering to his accomplice.
After getting up to ensure that the way was clear, the bandits drew their firearms and attacked Harding.
One of them then grabbed Harding, who had a broken leg, and it was during a scuffle that the Canada-based Guyanese was shot.
The bandits then stripped him of his jewellery, wallet and his cell phone. After this, the bandits turned their attention to Harding’s cousin who had remained in the bar, and ordered him at gunpoint to take off his ring.
Not satisfied, one of the gunmen then jumped over the counter and grabbed money and phone cards from the cash register.
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