Latest update February 20th, 2025 12:39 PM
June Session of Demerara Criminal Assizes opens
– 242 cases listed for trial
Several prominent cases have been listed for trial during the June session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes, which opened at the High Court yesterday, with the traditional parade and march past by ranks of ‘A’ Division of the Guyana Police Force.
Over 242 criminal matters are listed for trial. Justice Navindra Singh, Justice Dawn Gregory and Justice William Ramlal will be presiding during the session.
Justice William Ramlal and ranks of the Police ‘A’ Division during the ceremonial opening yesterday.
A number of highly anticipated cases, which were listed for trial during the last two sessions, reappeared on the record for this sitting.
The cases, which remain on the list for trial are those of Bibi Shareema Gopaul and Jarvis Small called ‘Barry’, who have been jointly accused of the unlawful killing of Queen’s College Student, Neesa Gopaul; popular promoter, Colin Mack, who was indicted for rape, abduction and assault of a female in 2009 and former President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), Colwyn King, accused of Carnal Knowledge.
Gopaul and Small are accused killing the teenager, whose body was found stuffed inside a partially submerged suitcase, which was discovered days after she went missing at Madewini creek, along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.
The victim in Mack’s trial was allegedly abducted and taken to a house in Festival City, where she was allegedly raped and assaulted.
The victim, later told police investigators that when she was held against her will and she shouted for help, but no one came to her rescue, even though houses were within close proximity. She said that she was later rescued by a taxi driver after she hung her naked body through a window and yelled for help.
Colwyn King was charged after he allegedly engaged in sexual relations with an underage female, whom he met on Sherriff Street.
Also listed for trial are Cyon Collier called ‘Picture Boy,’ and Calvin Thomas called Calvin Bailey, both of whom, are facing separate murder charges.
Collier was indicted for four separate charges, which included murder and unlawful gun possession, while Bailey was charged for allegedly stabbing his eighteen- month old stepson to death.
For the third consecutive time, the duo will face the Judge and Jury. They had undergone two trials, which ended in hung juries, resulting in the retrials. Other cases which are listed for retrial include that of Jevon Wharton and Charles Cush, who were implicated in the rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl, and that of Bibi Shamiza Khan, Hoosman Khan and Bibi Farida Khan called Pum who are charged with the murder of US-based stepfather, Motielall Singh.
During the last session, of the 230 cases listed for trial, several criminal matters were presented and completed.
Of the ten murders presented before the court, there were three guilty verdicts, five not guilty verdicts and two ended in hung jury.
Justice Navindra Singh completed five matters of which four were for the offence of murder and one for the offence of Attempt to Commit Murder and felonious wounding.
In two of the four murder trials, the accused were jailed for 78 years and 56 years’ imprisonment respectively after the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts.
The accused in the other two murder trials were sent back to prison to await new trials after their jury failed to reach a verdict.
Justice Dawn Gregory completed three matters. Of the three matters, two were for the offence of murder and one for the offence of manslaughter. In the first murder trial, the accused was sentenced to ten years imprisonment after the jury found him guilty on the lesser offence of manslaughter.
The accused in the other murder trial was acquitted after the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty. The accused in the manslaughter trial was acquitted after the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.
Justice William Ramlal disposed of two murder cases. In both cases the Judge upheld no case submissions by the defence and directed the jury to return formal verdicts of not guilty.
The State has appealed the Court’s ruling in one of the murder cases.
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