Cop walks free in Quindon Bacchus killing

Nov 07, 2025 News

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…judge upheld no-case submission

(Kaieteur News) – Former Police Lance Corporal Kristoff De Nobrega has been freed of the murder charge brought against him over the fatal shooting of Quindon Bacchus.

The decision was handed down on Thursday by High Court Judge, Gino Persaud at the Demerara High Court, who upheld a no-case submission presented by De Nobrega’s attorney, George Thomas.

Speaking with Kaieteur News, Thomas stated that the no-case submission was filed on the primary ground that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case of murder. “They failed to disprove that he (De Nobrega) acted in self-defence. As a result, Justice Persaud instructed the jury to return a not-guilty verdict, formally freeing De Nobrega of the charge.

According to De Nobrega’s no-case submission document seen by this publication, the defence elaborated that the motion was grounded on several key arguments. Firstly, it was “respectfully submitted that the prosecution has failed to establish a prima facie case of murder against the accused, sufficient enough to have this Honourable Court call upon the accused to lead a defence.” Secondly, the document stated that “the prosecution has failed to establish that the acts of the accused would amount to an unlawful killing, which is an essential element of the offence of murder.”

Thirdly, the defence contended that “the evidence adduced by the prosecution proves that the accused, being armed with a service weapon and being part of a sting operation, after being shot at, gave chase behind the fleeing deceased, who continued to shoot at the advancing officers, including the accused.”

Finally, in the submission Thomas posed the question of whether the accused had “reasonably apprehended immediate fear and threat to his life so as to cause him to respond to the threat by returning fire.”

The defence argued that if the court found that De Nobrega acted in such circumstances, then the prosecution has failed to prove that it was an unlawful act on the part of the accused and has therefore failed to establish a prima facie case of murder.

Citing the principle of self-defence, the defence submission further stated, “If a person is attacked by individuals armed with a knife and gun, he is entitled to defend himself with deadly force, for such an attack is an act in the course of the commission of a forcible and atrocious felony. If, in such an attack, he is wounded and provoked to lose self-control, it may not be unreasonable to retaliate with deadly force.”

Following the verdict, attorney Thomas expressed relief at the outcome. He stated, “Mr. De Nobrega is now a free man. We are happy for the results and grateful for everything that has transpired so far. It is unfortunate that he had to stand trial for such an offence, but it has now come to an end.” De Nobrega, however, declined to comment to the media.

De Nobrega, a 25-year-old former member of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Branch, was charged in July 2022 and remanded to prison for the murder of 23-year-old Bacchus, a resident of Haslington, East Coast Demerara. Bacchus was shot dead on June 10, 2022, during a police operation in the area. The accused was later committed to stand trial by Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court.

In his initial statement to investigators, De Nobrega alleged that Bacchus had fired at him first during a sting operation, prompting him to return fire. However, the police prosecutor told the court that ballistic tests later revealed Bacchus’s weapon was “not in working order,” suggesting it was possible that Bacchus never fired a shot. The post-mortem examination revealed that Bacchus had been shot seven times, not six as previously reported.

According to police reports, Bacchus was attempting to sell an illegal firearm. De Nobrega, who was undercover at the time, reportedly engaged Bacchus in a transaction when the shooting occurred. CCTV footage captured the moment shots were fired. Bacchus’s death sparked outrage and widespread protests along the East Coast of Demerara, with his family and supporters demanding justice and a thorough investigation. The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) subsequently launched an inquiry into the matter. Reports that De Nobrega had been released from custody at one stage fuelled further public concern that justice would not be served.

With Thursday’s court ruling, De Nobrega is now officially cleared of all charges related to the shooting.

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• Demerara High Court, fatal shooting, Kristoff De Nobrega, Quindon Bacchus

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