25% of listed cases disposed of during Demerara October Criminal Assizes

Some 25 per cent of the total number of cases listed for hearing during the Demerara October 2025 Criminal Assizes have been disposed of.
The matters were heard before Chief Justice (ag) Navindra Singh, Justice Gino Persaud, Justice Damone Younge, and Justice Jacqueline Josiah-Graham.
The Assizes, which commenced on October 7, 2025, saw the State disposing of 36 cases out of 143 listed. Of these, 24 matters were presented in the High Court before a Judge and jury.

Of the cases heard, 19 were for the offence of murder, two for attempted murder, one for manslaughter, and two for sexual offences.
Additionally, 12 matters were nolle prosequi by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
There were 16 guilty pleas, three convictions, five formal verdicts of not guilty, and one not-guilty verdict returned by a jury. A total of 26 accused appeared before the court in these trials.
State Prosecutors Christopher Belfield, Simran Gajraj, and Geneva Wills completed 12 matters before Chief Justice (ag) Singh. Of these, nine were for murder, and one each for manslaughter, attempt to commit murder, and rape of a child under 16 years.
State Counsel Padma Dubraj, Praneta Seeraj, and Alvaro Ramotar completed five matters for the offence of murder before Justice Gino Persaud. In three of these cases, the accused pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter. One will be sentenced on January 20, 2026, following a sentencing hearing, while the other two will await sentencing on January 26, 2026, after their respective hearings.
State Counsel Joy Williams, Darin Chan, and Merisa Edwards prosecuted six matters before Justice Josiah-Graham. Of these, five were for murder and one for attempt to commit murder, with an alternative count of wounding with intent.
In three of the murder trials, the accused pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter and were respectively sentenced to life imprisonment with parole after serving 25 years, 15 years and eight months, and 12 years’ imprisonment.
In one of the remaining trials, the jury unanimously found the accused guilty of the lesser offence of manslaughter, and he was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment. The other accused was acquitted by a jury verdict.
The accused, charged with attempt to commit murder, with an alternative count of wounding with intent, was unanimously found guilty by the jury of attempt to commit murder and will await sentencing in January 2026 following a sentencing hearing.
In the Sexual Offences Court, the trial Judge was only able to conduct one trial due to the exigencies of duty. State Counsel Latifah Elliot, Delon Fraser, and Narisa Peterkin appeared in the matter. However, the complainant declined to testify against the accused, and the trial Judge directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.
Of the 12 matters nolle prosequi by the DPP, two were for murder, three for attempt to commit murder, four for sexual offences, two for manslaughter, and one for obtaining money by false pretence. In these cases, complainants either declined to testify or could not be located, and their testimony constituted the main evidence. In one matter, the main witness has since died.