Latest update November 8th, 2024 1:00 AM
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Man formerly accused of teacher’s murder petitions police to re-open case
By Shervin Belgrave
Kaieteur News – Matthew Monroe, a taxi driver formerly accused of murdering a secondary school teacher in 2017 is petitioning the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to re-open the investigation into her killing.
Freed murder accused: Matthew Monroe
The secondary school teacher, Kescia Branche was only 22-years-old when she was found unconscious along Louisa Row, Georgetown on November 5, 2017.
Branche died two days later from brain haemorrhage and an autopsy conducted on her remains revealed that she had been struck to the head with a heavy object.
Georgetown detectives had launched an investigation to track down her killer and named Monroe as their suspect.
Monroe was charged and remanded to prison on December 6, 2017 and remained there until he was tried in 2022. He was freed in May last after the police prosecution team failed to present a proper case against him. According to reports, the State’s prosecutors could not find their star witness.
The taxi driver has since filed a multimillion dollar lawsuit against the State for taking too long to try him for the offence and for his wrongful detention.
In a recent conversation with Kaieteur News, Monroe said that he was an innocent man and has since written a letter petitioning GPF to re-open Branche’s murder case to find the right killer.
Murdered: Kescia Branche
“I am calling on the Force to re-open the case just like her relatives are asking, I want them to reopen the investigation”, Monroe said.
Based on the previous investigation conducted by police, Branche on the night of November 4, 2017 was seen leaving the Blue Martini Night Club in company of two police constables. The lawmen were interviewed and reportedly told the detectives that they went to a barbeque spot on Mandela Avenue with Branche. However, they said she left the location by herself in a taxi to go home.
Branche never made it to her destination and police claimed that they were able to identify Monroe’s car as the taxi she used. Investigators were in search of Monroe but he was out of the country and they concluded that he fled the country. Upon his return, he was arrested.
During the trial, Monroe’s lawyers argued that during the time Branche was found unconscious, their client was already out of the country. Monroe said he had traveled to celebrate his daughter’s birthday.
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