Retrial ordered for Kara Kara murder accused

Dec 01, 2023 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Kaieteur News – A retrial was on Monday has been ordered in the murder trial of Rochino Maison after a jury at the High Court in Georgetown was unable to arrive at a verdict.

Murder accused, Rochino Maison

Maison was charged for the alleged murder of 36-year-old labourer Keno Griffith in 2021.

On Monday, the 12-member jury informed Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall that it could not reach a consensus on whether Maison was guilty. In the circumstances, Justice Ramlall ordered that there was mistrial and Maison be retried at another criminal session.

The judge then informed Maison that he would be further remanded as he awaits a new trial date, which the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) will inform of.

Maison of Kara Kara, Mackenzie, Linden, is charged with allegedly murdering Griffith known as`Tuckey,’ on August 5, 2021 at Kara Kara. Reports are that Griffith was chopped to his head and arm after he tried to rescue a woman from her aggressor.

On July 26, 2021, around 17:00hrs Maison and a female resident of the Kara Kara area had a misunderstanding, during which Maison squeezed her breast and as a result, she spat on him. Maison became annoyed and reportedly threw a bucket of water on the woman.

Kaieteur News had reported that it was then that Griffith rushed to the woman’s aid and an argument ensued between him and Maison. The argument escalated into a scuffle during which Maison reportedly armed himself with a cutlass which he used to chop Griffith to his arm and head.

Griffith was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex where he was examined by a doctor but was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). It was reported that moments after the incident, Maison went to the Linden Police Station to report the matter where he was arrested.

The defendant was first placed before City Magistrate, Annette Singh, for the attempted murder of Griffith and Magistrate Singh had remanded him to prison for the offence.

However, while on remand, on August 2, 2021, Griffith succumbed to his injuries at the GPHC. As such, the police had sent the file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, S.C., who recommended that Maison’s charge be upgraded to murder.

That was done and Maison was brought before another City Magistrate but this time for the murder of Griffith.

During his trial in the High Court, Maison was represented by defence attorney Domnick Bess. The State was represented by prosecutors Caressa Henry, Madan Rampersaud and Delon Fraser.

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Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall, Linden, murder, Retrial, Rochino Maison

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