16 matters completed at CoA, 5 at Full Courts between June & October

From June to date, 16 matters were called at the Court of Appeal (CoA) while four and one respectively were called at the Demerara Full Court and the Berbice Full Court respectively, a statement from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) stated on Thursday.

The matters called at the Court of Appeal were for the offences of obtaining money by false pretence, murder, rape, manslaughter, felonious wounding, and inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Of the 16 matters, the Court of Appeal granted 11 appellants leave to file Notices of Appeal against their convictions and sentences, three others were granted their applications for an extension of time to file and serve Notices of Appeal and two appellants were denied bail.
During this time, the Demerara Full Court sat four times to hear matters for the offence of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.
Three appellants were allowed their applications in part. In one matter, the Demerara Full Court affirmed the appellant’s conviction but reduced the sentence.
The other two appellants were given suspended sentences; if they are arrested and convicted for the same offence, they will have to serve their sentences.
The one other applicant was denied his application for an extension of time to file a Notice of Appeal because the Court ruled his reason to appeal was not good.
The Berbice Full Court sat once in July to hear a matter for the offence of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. The appellant was granted leave to file an application for an extension of time to file a Notice of Appeal against his conviction and sentence.