17 of 224 cases completed during Demerara April Criminal Assizes

…6 rendered nolle prosequi

The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on Tuesday reported that of the 224 cases that were listed to be heard during the Demerara April Assizes, only 23 were disposed of representing a 10 per cent disposal rate.
Of this total, the DPP presented 17 in the Demerara High Court while six were nolle prosequi. The DPP stated that of the 17 matters presented, six were for the offence of Murder, 10 for Sexual Offences and one for Attempted Murder.

There were seven formal verdicts of not guilty, five guilty verdicts by jury, three not guilty verdicts, one guilty plea and one aborted trial. A total of 19 accused appeared in these matters that were heard by Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall, Justice Sandil Kissoon, Justice Jo-Ann Barlow and Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
State counsels Mohamed Muntaz Ali, Rbina Christmas, Marissa Edwards and Taneish Saygon prosecuted 10 matters for Sexual Offences before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall in the Sexual Offences Court.

In three of these cases, the accused were found guilty by jury verdicts. One of them who was indicted on three counts of Sexual Activity with A Child Family Member was sentenced to 20 years on the first two counts and 13 years on the third count. His sentences will run concurrently.
Another accused who was indicted on two counts for Rape of a Child under 16 Years and Causing a Child under 16 Years to Watch a Sexual Act was sentenced to a total of 28 years imprisonment.
The other accused was charged with the offence of Rape of a Child under 16 years and was unanimously found guilty by a jury verdict. His sentence has been deferred to June 13, 2024.

In another five cases, the complainants informed the court that they did not wish to proceed with the evidence and the trial judge directed the juries to return formal verdicts of not guilty.
In one of the other two matters, the accused who was indicted on five counts of sexual offences was acquitted on all counts. The other one case was aborted after the complainant, who had commenced her testimony was ordered by the Court to seek further counselling.
State Counsels Caressa Henry, Joy Williams and Padma Dubraj completed three matters – two for the offence of Murder before Justice Sandil Kissoon and one for attempted murder with an alternative count of wounding with intent before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

In one of the two trials before Justice Kissoon, the jury unanimously found the accused guilty and as such, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 25 years. The accused in the other matter was acquitted by the jury.
The accused in the one matter before Justice Beharry was found guilty by jury verdict on the alternative count and sentenced to 13 years imprisonment. He was ordered to undergo counselling in anger management and behavioural change while in prison.
Further, Assistant DPP Tiffiny Lyken, State Counsels Taneisha Saygon, Praneeta Seeraj, Simran Gajraj, Rowland and Lowe prosecuted four matters for the offence of Murder which were heard by Justice Jo-Ann Barlow.
In one of these, the accused pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of Manslaughter and was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving 30 years. In another two, the trial judge upheld no case submissions and directed the juries to return formal verdicts of not guilty while in the other in which two accused were indicted together, they were both acquitted by jury verdicts of not guilty for the offences of Murder and Manslaughter.
The six cases nolle prosequi by the DPP were for the offences of Murder, Attempt to Commit Murder and Sexual Offences. In two separate matters, the accused have died while the complainants in the others submitted written statements that they did not wish to proceed with their matters in Court.
The Demerara April 2024 Criminal Assizes commenced on Tuesday 2nd April 2024 and came to an end on Friday, May 31, 2024.