Minibus conductor found guilty of killing Kitty youth

Oct 13, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – On November 3, 25-year-old Timothy McKenzie, a bus conductor formerly of Thomas Street, Kitty, Georgetown is expected to be sentenced for the stabbing to death of 20-year-old Richard Noel, a fruit vendor also of Kitty.

Dead, Richard Noel

Found guilty, Timothy McKenzie

On Tuesday, the mixed 12- member jury that was empanelled for the trial returned with a not-guilty verdict for the capital offence but found McKenzie guilty of manslaughter. The accused was on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court. Representing the State in this matter was Prosecutor Muntaz Ali, while the accused was being represented by Attorneys-at-Law Edrianna Stephen and Ronald Daniels.

McKenzie had denied the charge which stated that on June 4, 2018, at Stabroek Market, Georgetown, he murdered Noel. The deceased and the accused were known to each other and the year prior to Noel’s death, the two had a misunderstanding after McKenzie reportedly assaulted Noel’s sister.

According to reports, the murder allegedly stemmed from the old grievance between McKenzie and Noel. On the day in question, around 13:15hours, McKenzie had allegedly approached Noel in the vicinity of Cornhill Street, Georgetown, in the company of another man and they had a confrontation. This reportedly led to Noel being stabbed twice to the chest. Noel fell to the ground and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.