Latest update July 26th, 2026 2:05 AM
May 21, 2026 News
(Kaieteur News) – The prime suspect in the deadly Regent Street gas station bombing retracted his guilty plea on Wednesday, after learning that the state will continue to prosecute his three co-accused. The unexpected turn of events has prompted acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty to schedule paper committal proceedings to determine if the case will be sent to the high court for trial.
The prime suspect, Venezuelan national Daniel Alexander Ramirez Poedemo, informed the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday morning that he was no longer admitting guilt to the terrorism-related charges. This reversal stands in contrast to his statements in March, when Ramirez Poedemo told Magistrate McGusty that he was solely responsible for the attack. The change of heart followed an announcement by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) that the state intends to proceed with terrorism charges against the three other foreign nationals jointly charged alongside him, Alexander Bettencourt, Jhonny Boodram, and Kystal LaCruz. Upon learning that his co-accused were not being cleared as a result of his sole confession, Ramirez Poedemo opted to change his plea.
Following the retraction, acting Chief Magistrate McGusty announced that paper committal proceedings for the capital offense will officially commence on June 8 at 1:30 p.m. at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. The charges stem from the October 2025 bombing of the Mobil Regent Street gas station, an attack that claimed the life of six-year-old Soraya Bourne and left several others injured. A total of eight individuals were initially implicated in the conspiracy, though the case has already seen varying legal outcomes for the co-accused across different jurisdictions.
In a previous development at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, Magistrate Alisha George dismissed all charges against Guyanese nationals Wayne Corriea and Ramesh Pramdeo, ruling that the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence connecting them to the bombing. Conversely, Venezuelan national Jennifer Rodrigues has already been committed to stand trial in the high court after a magistrate found sufficient evidence against her during prior proceedings.
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