11 cases disposed of at Berbice, Essequibo criminal assizes

State Counsel Muntaz Ali prosecuted seven cases before Justice Sandil Kissoon during the Berbice October 2023 Assizes. One matter involved rape and burglary, while the other six involved murder.
Five accused persons were indicted on four charges of murder while engaging in piracy in one of these murder cases. Since they all entered guilty pleas to every count, the trial Judge instructed the jury to render formal guilty verdicts in their favour. Each of them was sentenced to death.
ln another case for murder, the trial Judge upheld a no-case submission and directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty. The State has indicated its intention to appeal this ruling.

ln three other matters, the accused persons all pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter and were each sentenced to life imprisonment.
They will become eligible for parole after 23 years, 15 years, and 20 years, respectively.
The Judge ordered them to undergo anger management while in prison.
The other trial for murder remains in progress.
The accused in the rape and burglary matter pleaded guilty to both counts. On the first count for the offence of rape, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with eligibility for parole after serving 14 years. On the second count, he was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.
Both sentences will run concurrently and the Judge ordered that he be credited for time spent in pre-trial custody and that he undergoes rehabilitation while in prison.
The Berbice October 2023 Assizes continues until February. The February 2024 Criminal Assizes commences on the sixth day of that month.

On Tuesday, October 24, 2023, the Essequibo October 2023 Criminal Assizes got underway. State Counsel Taneisha Saygon finished four matters before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, two of which dealt with murder offence and the other two with sexual offences.
The accused in both murder matters pleaded guilty; one pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter and was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment. The other accused pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment.
ln one of the two sexual offences matters, the complainant testified that she did not wish to proceed with the trial, and the trial Judge directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty for the accused. The accused in the other matter was found not guilty by a jury verdict.
This assize continues until February when the new assizes will commence. (G1)