Victim was shot with army gun

Jul 24, 2018 News

says friend of ex-soldier on trial for manslaughter

ACCUSED: Allister Woolford

Jonathan Williams, the friend of former soldier Allister Woolford who is on trial for manslaughter over fatally shooting his friend, told a jury yesterday that the victim was shot with a gun belonging to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

In fact, Williams himself was employed with the GDF during 2014, and he and Woolford trained together, according to him. They were “squaddies”, Williams told Justice Sandil Kissoon before whom the trial is being conducted.

The charge against Woolford alleges that on December 8, 2014 at Lot 100 Republic and D’Andrade streets, Kitty, he unlawfully killed Howell. The accused killer, who has pleaded not guilty to the charge, is out on $400,000 bail.

The accused killer is being represented by Attorneys-at-law Hewley Griffith and Compton Richardson.

Based on reports, the gun went off and Howell was shot in his neck. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) where he eventually succumbed almost three weeks after the incident.

His upper spinal cord was reportedly damaged because of the shot and he never regained consciousness.

During November, 2014, Woolford was charged with Attempt to Commit murder after Howell remained in a critical state at the Georgetown Public Hospital, days after the shooting.

However, after Howell succumbed the charge of Attempt to Commit murder was withdrawn, and a new charge of manslaughter was instituted against Woolford.

During his time in the witness box, Williams told the court that on the day in question, he went to the above mentioned address with a firearm he signed for and uplifted from the armory at Base Camp Ayanganna, Georgetown.

According to him, he left the gun in care of Woolford after he retired to the washroom.

Minutes later, Williams told the jury that he heard a gun go off and he immediately exited the washroom to inquire about what had happened.

Williams added that he saw Howell lying on the ground and that Woolford was applying first aid.

He told the court that he inquired about what happened and Woolford told him that he shot Howell.

The witness recalled that he panicked and picked up the gun from the floor and returned it to Camp Ayanganna, where he “rectified” certain things.

Questioned by Prosecutor Mandel Moore as to how Woolford became in possession of the weapon, Williams said that he gave the gun to Woolford because, “I wanted to go and use the washroom and also smoke a cigarette.”

“Also I trusted him (Woolford). He was my squaddie and knowledgeable. There were 10 rounds in the gun at the time.” This trial is continuing.

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