‘Terror Gang’ members sentenced to 19 years in jail

Apr 05, 2017 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Three members of the “Colin Jones Terror Gang” were yesterday each sentenced to serve 19 years imprisonment for offences they committed in 2009.
Randy Mars, Jafar Simpson and David Anthony Watson pleaded guilty to the multiple offences when they appeared before Justice Navindra Singh at the Georgetown High Court. The men were sentenced moments after the April sessions of the Demerara Criminal Assizes commenced.
The men were among a five-member gang led by Colin Jones facing multiple charges for actions they committed during an alleged reign of terror on November 4, 2009.
However, Mars called Rattie, Simpson and Watson called “Tupac” or “Strongie” opted to plead guilty to the offences when the matter came up for trial yesterday. They were represented by a panel of Attorneys including Melvin Duke and Mark Conway. The case was presented by State Lawyers Siand Dhurjon and Tuanna Hardy.
The three men were facing a murder charge, in addition to other indictments for attempted murder, discharging a loaded fire with intent and arson.
The first charge was for the murder of Waddet Roberts called “Woddet” or “Buck Man”. Roberts was killed between November 3 and 4, 2009.
The men pleaded not guilty to the murder. They nonetheless pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.
The next indictment stated that between November 3 and 4, 2009, they attempted to suffocate Roopchand Gopaul with the intent to murder him. The trio was also charged with discharging a loaded firearm at Police Detective Dharmindra Indrapaul called “Dharmindra”, with intent to commit murder, on November 4, 2009.
Another charge stated that the men discharged a loaded firearm at Police Constable Rovindra Singh on the same date, also with the intent to murder him.
The men were also indicted for discharging a loaded firearm at Officer Indrapaul with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, maim, disfigure or disable him. They faced other charges in relation to discharging a loaded firearm with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, maim, disfigure or disable the two officers. They were also indicted for wounding Officer Singh with the intent to maim, disfigure or disable him.
They were also charged for having in their possession, a grenade and 24 7.62 ammunition without being holders of firearm licences at the time.
The incident took place on November 4, 2009. The last indictment against Mars, Simpson and Watson stipulated that on that said date, they set fire to a public building, namely the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Judicature.
When given a chance to the respond the allegations, the men stood individually in the prisoner’s dock and pleaded guilty to the offences. Mars became emotional as he accepted responsibility for his actions. His colleagues, however, appeared more composed as they entered their pleas.
The men were sentenced to 19 years each in prison on the manslaughter charge; 15 years each for the attempted murder offences, 5 years each for discharging the loaded gun with intent; 5 years each for wounding with intent; 3 years each for the unlicenced ammunition and 15 years for the arson.
The Judge said that the sentences would run concurrently. He also ordered that the Guyana Prisons Service make remittances from the sentence based on the time, the men spent on remand pending trial. The trio would have been incarcerated for the past six years.
“You have been truly given a second chance to contribute to society, make use of it,” Justice Singh told the men before releasing them to serve their sentences.

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