Latest update January 7th, 2025 4:10 AM
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Drug rehab counsellor’s killing…PI adjourned until Jan. 17
The matter against interdicted anti-narcotics cop, Lance Corporal Sherwin Smith, who is charged
Ralph Turpin
with the September 15, 2011 murder of 54-year-old drug rehab counsellor Ralph Turpin, has been adjourned until January 17. The South Sophia resident is to face the court on the stated date for the commencement of the preliminary inquiry (PI).
After appearing before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine –Beharry yesterday, the accused was informed that the original magistrate presiding over the matter, Magistrate Sueanna Lovell, was unavailable. The magistrate was out performing other legal duties.
Sherwin Smith was at the time of the incident a serving member of the Guyana Police Force.
According to police, eyewitnesses outside of the Stabroek Market, where the incident had occurred, positively identified Smith when he was placed on a four-man identification parade. The cop had reportedly been fingered by a number of persons who had seen the shooting incident in the public area.
Reports indicated that Turpin who worked at 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 after being shot twice in the head.
It was revealed that on the day of the incident Turpin had intervened as a peacemaker in an altercation between two women and lost his life while trying to calm the situation.
Sherwin Smith
Smith was represented by Defence Attorney George Thomas in association with Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos. The lawyer had asked for an early commencement date for the matter. He later pleaded for conditions for his client as according to him, he feared for Smith’s life. Thomas proclaimed that his client was a member of the anti-narcotics unit and he felt that it was not a good idea to place the policeman amongst the said criminals he aided to imprison.
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