Procedural errors lead to mistrial for ‘Cobra’

Nov 01, 2018 News

Tyrone Rowe called ‘Cobra’

Procedural errors have led to the second trial of Tyrone Rowe, also known as ‘Cobra’, being declared a mistrial by Justice Sandil Kissoon yesterday. The declaration came less than 24 hours after Rowe led a defence.

Rowe, 25, of Albouystown, Georgetown, was on trial at the High Court in Georgetown, before a 12-member mixed jury, for the August 5, 2010 murder of Troy Collymore.

According to reports, on the day in question, Collymore and two other men were outside a business place at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, when they were attacked by gunmen.

During that time, one of them was shot and relieved of cash and a quantity of jewellery. Collymore was shot to the head and was declared ‘brain dead’ by doctors. He succumbed two days later.

Back in 2013, Rowe was convicted of the said murder. He was sentenced to 78 years in prison by Justice Navindra Singh, and shortly after sought an appeal. His appeal was accepted, and in July, the Court of Appeal overturned his conviction and sentencing.

As a result, Rowe’s case was remitted to the High Court for a new trial. Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Orinthia Schmidt presented the State’s case. Rowe was represented by Attorney-at-law George Thomas.

When the retrial commenced earlier this month, Gloria Sultan, the victim’s mother took to the witness box and recalled her final moments with her son. Sultan, of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, told the court that on the day in question, she and her son were chatting inside her bedroom when he left after telling her something.

According to Sultan, the next day she was summoned to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she saw her son lying on a bed attached to a life support machine. She added that the next day, she went back to the hospital where she saw her son’s body being taken to the mortuary.

The woman burst out in tears after she recalled witnessing a bullet being removed from her son’s head by the Pathologist on August 9, 2010. “Why is this happening again? This is memories,” she cried.

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