Paper committal for KN’s security guards charged with murder

Jul 08, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – The two Kaieteur News’ security guards, who are on remand for allegedly killing a homeless man, will go through the paper committal process.
The defendants, Yan Licorish, 49, and Tony Waldron, 39, matter is being heard in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Senior Magistrate, Leron Daly. The men are being represented by attorney-at-law, Latchmie Rahamat.

On remand, Yan Licorish (left) and Tony Waldron.

On their first court appearance in March 2021, Licorish and Waldron were not required to plead to the charge which alleges that between March 15, 2021 and March 16, 2021 at the Kaieteur News’ Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown office they murdered 58-year-old, Mohabir Singh popularly known as ‘Emile.’
On July 26, 2021, the paper committal process will commence into the matter. A paper committal is when the witnesses’ statements and documentary evidence are tendered to the Court without the witnesses being present in court and are inventoried and marked as exhibits.
Based on the written records, the Magistrate will take approximately 45 days before giving a ruling on whether there is sufficient evidence for a prima facie case to be made out for the defendants to stand trial in the High Court.
Paper committal is one of two methods that are used by Magistrates for serious offences like murder; the other method is a preliminary inquiry (PI). For most cases, a PI is conducted. For a PI, the witnesses are present in court to give evidence and the documentary evidence is exhibited to the court before being tendered and marked as exhibits.

Dead, Mohabir Singh called ‘Emile.’

It was reported that around 08:30hrs. on March 16, 2021, Singh’s lifeless body was found by an employee under a shed at the Kaieteur News’ premises. The employee had gone to remove a truck when he saw Singh’s body lying in its tray.
As a result of the discovery, the matter was reported and the police arrested the two security guards. Both men were subsequently charged with murder. A post-mortem examination had revealed that Singh died as a result of brain haemorrhage due to blunt trauma to the head.
This publication had reported that Singh had been homeless for some 25 years due to his drug addiction. His son, Mohinder Singh, told this newspaper that his father was a wealthy gold smith who owned his own business at West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
However, because of a drug addiction, which he developed in his 30s, Singh ended up losing everything and eventually he became homeless. He was placed in rehab twice and came out a “brand-new man” but soon returned to his old habits, Mohinder had related. The son also revealed that his father had even spent some time in jail, where he wrote the CXC exams and achieved distinctions.