April session of Demerara Criminal Assizes commences

Apr 08, 2015 News

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 C.N Sharma, Colwyn King among those listed to face criminal proceedings
A number of prominent cases are listed to be heard by judges assigned to preside over the April session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes.
Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire, Justice Navindra Singh and Justice Brassington Reynolds will preside over the criminal cases listed for this session, which opened yesterday at the High Court in Georgetown.
A total of 230 cases are listed to come up before the three judges. Among the list are number of cases of  attempt to commit  murder, wounding with  intent, forgery  manslaughter, carnal knowledge, incest, armed robbery, buggery, murder, abduction, rape, unlawful & malicious wounding and discharging a loaded firearm with intent.
The prominent cases include that of popular television station owner and social activist Chandra Narine, (C.N) Sharma, Guyana Teacher‘s, (GTU) former President, Colwyn King. Both men are accused of sexually assaulting underage girls.
Other notable matters include that of murder accused Cyon Colier called “Picture Boy,” who is indicted for the unlawful killing of brothers; Ray Walcott called ‘Sugar’, and Carl Andrews, called ‘Alo’ on September 23, 2006; the case against Colin Jones, Jahfar Simpson and Randy Mars who are charged jointly for setting fire to the Ministry of Health on  4th November 2009 and the matter against Michael Assanah who is facing six counts of causing death by dangerous driving.  Assanah was the driver a minibus which was involved in four vehicular smash up at Happy Acres on December 3, 1999.  The accident claimed the lives of six people.
Seventy –six cases are assigned to Panel One Judge Roxanne George. The list includes the matters of Shameer Ali, who is charged for rape and abduction with intent to wrongfully confine a person and Marlene Croft  who is accused of obtaining money by false pretense.
On the list of panel two Judge, Brassington Reynolds, are cases against popular television station owner and social activist C.N Sharma, Cobian Stephen called OJ and Malvin Taylor.
C.N Sharma is facing six counts of sexual assault on minors.  He is charged with three counts of carnal knowledge of a girl under 12 years; two counts of carnal knowledge of a girl under 15 years and indecent assault.  The incidents are said to have occurred sometime in 2003 and 2004.  Stephens is charged for discharging a loaded firearm, wounding with intent and two counts of attempt to commit murder.  The incidents are said to have taken place in 2007.
Malvin Taylor is also charged with two counts of attempt to commit murder; three counts of discharging a loaded firearm with intent and wounding with intent.
Among a list of seventy-six cases scheduled to be presented before panel three Judge, Navindra Singh,  are the matters against the GTU ‘s former head, Colywn King,  Rupert  Brown,  Selywn  Mc Clintock , Colin Jones , Jafhar  Simpson and Randy Mars.
King is indicted for carnal knowledge of a girl under 16 years.  The incident is said to have occurred in 2009. Meanwhile, Mc Clintock is listed as facing four counts of sexual activity with a child family member; Brown for rape, buggery, armed robbery and three counts of assault causing actual bodily harm and the latter trio are  allegedly implicated in November 2009 fire which was set to the Ministry of Health.
A total of eleven matters were disposed of in the last session, which was presided over by three judges, Justice Franklyn Holder, Justice Navindra Singh and Justice James Bovell-Drakes.
Among the matters completed by Justice Navindra Singh were those of Jarvis Small and Bibi Shareema Gopaul who were sentenced to 96 years and 106 years respectively for the murder of Neesa Gopaul, and Popular party promoter, Colin Mack, who was found not guilty of rape and forcible abduction of a female for carnal knowledge.
Justice Franklyn Holder completed four matters, two for murder and one each for the offences of rape and rape of a child under 16 years.  He sentenced Vinod Balgobin to 43 years’ imprisonment for the murder of his reputed wife, Mary Ann Nauth.
Justice James Bovell-Drakes completed two murder trials. In the first matter Shawn Thom and Orin David were jointly indicted for the murder of Mahaica Farmer Lakram Bihundial. They were released after the judge upheld a no case submission presented by Thom’s lawyer and the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty for the number two accused, Orin David.
Edward Skeete was also acquitted of killing businessman Bedi Ramjewan after a jury found him not guilty of the offence.  However, the outcome of a third murder trial  is still pending.

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