Charges against ex-cop withdrawn by DPP in “Saga” killing case

Mar 07, 2024 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Released, Derwin Eastman

Kaieteur News – The charges against former policeman, Derwin Eastman were withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Senior Counsel Shalimar Ali-Hack six years after he was first charged and remanded to prison for the murder of Godfrey Scipio called ‘Saga’.

This publication understands that Eastman was released from prison on Monday following the decision.

Eastman was charged in December 2017, for the October 2017 killing alongside another policeman Jameson Williams. The matter was being heard in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Senior Magistrate, Fabayo Azore. On November 27, 2020, Magistrate Azore had stated that sufficient evidence was presented to the court for the duo to be implicated in the murder – a prima facie case was made out against Eastman and Williams. As a result of the ruling, Eastman and Williams opted to lead their defence. In 2022 both men commenced calling witnesses to lead their defence. Following this process, Magistrate Azore committed Eastman to stand trial at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Assizes, before a judge and jury, and the matter was discharged against Williams.

According to reports, Scipio of Lot ‘ZZ’ 22 D’Urban Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown, had been selling at the Berbice car park for several years, and was known for wearing lots of gold jewellery. According to the police, he was shot in the chest as he was leaving a city hotel on October 27, 2017. Ex-con, Aubrey Bobb, 27, of Kitty, Georgetown, was the first to be committed to stand trial in the High Court for the murder of the businessman. After Bobb was arrested for the murder, he implicated Eastman and Williams in the crime.

Bobb alleged that Eastman was the mastermind behind Saga’s murder, since he allegedly provided the weapon. Police had stated that Bobb was nabbed at his William Street, Kitty, Georgetown home, which is located a few buildings from where the killing occurred. Kaieteur News had reported that CCTV footage of the attack had helped investigators to identify and track him down. Bobb allegedly told detectives that he was in the area and saw Scipio, who was wearing a gold chain, entering the hotel. At the time, Bobb claimed he was armed with an icepick, but later decided that a gun would be more effective. It was also reported that when Scipio exited the hotel, Bobb relieved the businessman of a gold chain and shot him. Bobb on Monday pleaded guilty to the crime and was sentenced to life in prison.