Four jointly charged with GGMC engineer’s murder

Dec 08, 2015 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

After eight months of constant adjournments to the start of a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the killing of Guyana Geology and Mines (GGMC) engineer, Trevor Abrams, a joint murder charge was yesterday instituted against four men for the offence.

Murdered: Trevor Abrams

Orin Arthur, 27, of 213 One Mile Wismar, Linden; Rayon Paddy, 27, of 228 Fern Drive, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown; Steven Prescott a/k ‘Assassin’, 44, of 117 Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara; and Yori Varswyk, 26, of Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara are now being jointly charged with the engineer’s murder.
Magistrate Ann McLennan withdrew the individual murder charges that were laid against the men, after a request was made by Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Neville Jeffers.
Particulars of the new charge allege that on February 26, last, at Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara, the men murdered Abrams for profit. They were paid to kill the engineer.
Abrams, 32, of Lot 131 Samatta Point, East Bank Demerara, was riddled with bullets on the day in question, after heavily armed men ambushed him and opened fire on his vehicle.
Magistrate McLennan ordered the men to return to court on January 11, when they will appear before Magistrate Judy Latchman.
An incomplete police file and outstanding ballistics report have been stalling the commencement of the PI. Those missing components have seen the matter being frequently adjourned and the men being further remanded to prison.
When the accused made their first court appearance back in April, the prosecution had informed the court that investigations were still in progress.
However, yesterday, the Prosecutor informed the court that the file is completed and the prosecution has received further advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The PI is yet to commence and 20 witnesses are slated to testify.
At several court hearings, the men’s Attorneys had expressed their frustrations about the delayed PI. They had pointed to the fact that their clients have the right to be given a trial within a reasonable time. The lawyers also stressed that it was unfair for the accused to be on remand for such a long time. But this was not done without them acknowledging the nature of the offence.
In addition, Rayon Paddy and Orin Arthur are jointly charged with the murder of Sterling Products Limited guard, Wilfred Stewart, which occurred on December 24, 2014, at Providence, East Bank Demerara.
Stewart of Graham’s Hall, East Coast Demerara, was shot dead by gunmen who forced their way into the Sterling Products Limited Compound.