Drug rehab counsellor's killing… Anti- narcotics cop remanded

Drug rehab counsellor’s killing… Anti- narcotics cop remanded

Sep 21, 2011 News

A serving member of the Guyana Police Force has been charged with the murder of 54-year-old drug rehab counsellor Ralph Turpin, who was gunned down at the Stabroek Market square on Friday last.
Lance Corporal Sherwin Smith of 434 South Sophia was not required to plea to the indictable charge when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Sherwin Smith

The allegation is that Smith, on September 15, 2011, murdered Ralph Turpin.
Police Prosecutor Steve Harvey told the court that on the day in question the defendant and three others were at the market when an argument ensued. The court was told that Turpin was shot, and died as a result of the shooting. The defendant who had left the scene of the crime later turned himself into the police, the prosecutor disclosed.
Smith’s lawyer George Thomas, who appeared in association with Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos, requested an early date for continuation of the matter. He said that his client was the father of two young children and up to the time of the charge, was still a serving member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
Thomas also raised a few issues regarding his client’s case and safety. According to the lawyer, he fears for Smith’s safety and life, since his client was attached to the narcotics branch of the GPF and placing him at the prison might not be the wisest thing. The lawyer said that he was well aware that the magistrate’s jurisdiction does not go to the prison, but needed to highlight it.
Thomas also said that his client has investigated a series of high profile cases. Moreover, Thomas raised the issue of the identification parade, which according to him might have been done under suspicious circumstances. He also cautioned the media about printing information about his client being positively identified.
After the chief magistrate had finished listening to the case and reading the particulars, the matter was transferred to Magistrate Susanna Lovell at court two.
Magistrate Lovell later remanded the defendant, and he is expected to make his next appearance on October 10.
Ralph Turpin was shot twice in the head at point blank range when he reportedly intervened as a peacemaker during a heated argument between two individuals outside the Stabroek Market square at around 03:00 hours last Thursday.

Ralph Turpin

Turpin, who was formerly attached to the Phoenix Drug Rehabilitation Centre at Mon Repos on the East Coast of Demerara, and ran another halfway house, at his 25 Agriculture Road, Mon Repos residence, is believed to have died instantly.
Turpin had reportedly gone to the Stabroek Market area to buy food after a night out when the incident occurred.
Lesley Spooner, who was with Turpin and other friends, had alleged that she was in the process of purchasing the food from a roadside stall, when another woman who was also buying food, started an argument with her.
Spooner said that one of her companions urged her not to engage the woman but she persisted.
She alleged that the woman who started the argument was brandishing a gun.
“I could remember seeing her with a gun. But this other man had a gun too,” Spooner had told this newspaper adding that one of her friends, who was Turpin’s female companion, was desperately trying to cool things down.
Spooner alleged that both the man and woman were waving guns.
According to Spooner, the man with the gun struck her down with his hand and this led to Turpin, who was sitting in the car, intervening.
“I just hear Ralph say ‘you don’t have to do that’ and then it was, pow! pow!” Spooner recalled.
She said that she subsequently saw Turpin lying on the ground.
Spooner claims that the woman and the man, then jumped into a car and sped away.