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Eight criminal cases disposed of at Berbice during June Criminal Session
Of the ninety four cases which were listed to be heard, eight cases were disposed of during the Berbice June Criminal Session.
The matters were heard before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow. State Counsel Tuanna Hardy presented the cases.
According to information sent out by the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP), of the eight cases, there were two for the offence of attempt to commit murder with the alternative count of wounding with intent, two cases for the offence of murder, another three for sexual offences and one case for the offence of manslaughter.
In the two cases for the offence of attempt to commit murder, the juries were directed by the trial judge to return formal verdicts of not guilty because in one case, the complainant informed the Court that he did not wish to proceed with the evidence. The complainant in the other case failed to attend Court despite being warned to do so.
In one of the two matters for the offence of murder, Justice Barlow upheld a no case submission and directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty. The accused in the other case pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter and was sentenced to eight years imprisonment.
Justice Jo-Ann Barlow
In one of the three sexual offences cases, the accused who was indicted for rape was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment after he was found guilty by jury.
In the other two matters, the complainants did not wish to proceed with the evidence and Justice Barlow directed the juries to return formal verdicts of not guilty.
In the one case for the offence of manslaughter, the jury was unanimous with a guilty verdict and trial judge sentenced the accused to twenty three years imprisonment.
The DPP nolle prosequi three matters of which one was for the offence of Robbery under Arms and two were for attempt to commit murder because the complainants all testified in Court that they did not wish to proceed with the evidence.
Justice Brassington Reynolds completed one case for the offence of Rape which was presented before him in late May by State Counsel Hardy.
Of the three accused who were indicted together, the number one accused was sentenced to twenty years while the number two accused was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment after the jury returned guilty verdicts for them. The indictment against the number three accused was severed before the trial commenced in February.
Meanwhile, in the Essequibo Criminal Assizes, 60 cases were listed to be heard.
State Counsel Tamika Clarke presented two matters for the offence of Murder before Madam Justice Margaret Kurtzious.
In one matter where three accused were indicted together, the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts for the numbers one and two and they were each sentenced to twenty years imprisonment.
Trial judge up held a no- case submission for the number three accused.
In the other trial, the accused pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
The DPP nolle prosequi six matters for sexual offences. In five of these cases, the accused have since died.
The complainant in the other one case submitted a written statement in which she indicated that it was not the accused who had sexual relations with her, but someone else who has died.
The Demerara October Criminal Assizes will commence on Tuesday October 2, 2018. Justice James Bovell-Drakes, Justice Sandil Kissoon and Justice Jo-Ann Barlow are roistered to sit. A total of 228 cases are listed to be heard.
The Berbice October Criminal Assizes will start on October 16 and 98 cases are listed to be heard. Madam Priya Sewnarine-Beharry will oversee these matters.
Justice Brassington Reynolds will continue to hear the Essequibo May Criminal Assizes.
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