Attempted murder charge... Former soldier pleads guilty to lesser count

Attempted murder charge… Former soldier pleads guilty to lesser count

May 31, 2015 News

A former soldier who was facing a charge of attempted murder in the Berbice High Court has pleaded guilty to the lesser count of causing grievous bodily harm.
Cleon Douglas, who was 19 at the time of the incident, changed his plea when the matter continued on Wednesday in the Berbice High Court before Justice Franklyn Holder and a mixed jury.
Douglas, who was facing two charges, on Saturday June 25, 2005 at Camp Jaguar; New River, Corentyne was accused of having an intent to murder fellow soldier Wilton Hazel. He was also charged with causing grievous bodily harm.
The man is accused of setting the other on fire following an altercation at their Camp Jaguar location at New River, Corentyne, Berbice.
When the matter resumed Attorney at Law Charrandass Persaud, who is representing Douglas, told the court that he wanted to adopt a certain course.
It was decided that the charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to commit murder would be dropped and that the accused plead guilty to the charge of causing grievous bodily harm.
State Prosecutor Attorney-at-Law Natasha Backer who is appearing for the state, had no objections to the request made by the defence.
When the matter was first called on Monday and the Jury sworn in and the indictment read, Attorney at Law Charrandass Persaud had asked for an adjournment to familiarise himself with the case since he was only recently retained.
The two men were part of the Guyana Defence Force contingent based at the Interior location on the Corentyne River. It was reported that Douglas was being constantly harassed, provoked and molested in all forms by some of the other soldiers, including Hazel. He reported the matter on numerous occasions to his superiors on location, but got no satisfaction.
On the day in question the two men had another altercation and Douglas, being unable to take the provocation any longer, doused Hazel with a flammable liquid before setting him alight. He then fled the scene into the bushes and hid himself until the next day.
He subsequently gave himself up and reported the matter to one of his superiors. He was taken into the custody, the matter was investigated and Douglas subsequently charged.
A probation report has been requested by Justice Holder and is expected to be presented on June 11 when Douglas is to be sentenced.

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Attempted murder charge… Former soldier pleads guilty to lesser count

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