Brazilian remanded for attempted murder

Jun 14, 2019 News

Francisco Lima D’Aguiar, a Brazilian national, was yesterday remanded to prison on an attempted murder charge after he allegedly shot a Police Constable for searching his mining camp.

Remanded Francisco Lima D’Aguiar

The defendant was arraigned in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.
He was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that on May 26, last, at Aranka Backdam, Cuyuni River, with intent to commit murder, he discharged a loaded firearm at Police Constable Anthony Weekes.
D’Aguiar was represented by attorneys Trenton Lake and Mark Waldron. Waldron told the court that the defendant is 57 years old from Lot 75 Church Street, Bourda, Georgetown. The attorney said that his client is a naturalized citizen of Guyana and he is the owner of a gold mine.
According to the attorney, D’Aguiar was not found or arrested near the scene of the crime. Also, there is no evidence to prove that he was present there.
The lawyer moved to say that the incident stemmed from the police ranks visiting in the middle of the night in search of illegal guns and ammos. His client was never identified. Since his arrest, his equipment has been moved from the mining camp and he is suffering losses.
Police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to bail based on the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. He added that a firearm was used in the commission of the act and there is no proof of the defendant’s ties to the country.
The prosecutor then related the facts of the charge. On the day in question, police ranks acting on information that the defendant was in possession of an illegal firearm went to the location.
They made contact with D’Aguiar and identified themselves. At the time, the defendant allegedly had a handgun in his possession.
D’Aguiar then reportedly pointed the weapon in the direction of the police ranks and discharged four rounds, one of which hit Weekes in the region of the chest. The ranks then retreated and took their colleague to seek medical attention.
Weekes was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital and was later transferred to St Joseph Mercy Hospital. On June 10, last, the defendant went to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters and turned himself in.
The victim made an appearance for the hearing and told the court that the bullet passed through his chest and is now lodged in his arm. He wore a sling over his left arm.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan upheld the submission made by the prosecutor and remanded the defendant to prison. She said that based on the prosecution’s facts he poses a flight risk and there is no evidence of him having a fixed place of abode.
She then adjourned the matter until June 19, 2019 where the defendant is expected to make his next court appearance in the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.

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