33 of 367 cases completed during Demerara April Criminal Assizes

…266 cases to be heard in June

The April session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes had commenced with a total of 367 cases listed to be heard – of which 33 matters were successfully disposed of.
Justice Sandil Kissoon, Justice Navindra Singh and Madam Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry presided over these assizes.
Of the cases heard, 17 were presented in the High Court. Of these, 10 were for the offence of murder, one for attempt to commit murder and four for sexual offences. The remaining 18 matters were nolle prosequi by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
There were four convictions, four verdicts of not guilty, five guilty pleas, two formal verdicts of not guilty and one mistrial. Two matters are ongoing. A total of 18 accused appeared in these matters.

State Counsel Cicelia Corbin, State Counsel Simran Gajraj, State Counsel Rbina Christmas and State Counsel Madana Rampersaud presented 10 matters before Justice Kissoon. These included 10 for the offence of murder, one for attempt to commit murder.
ln three of the murder cases, the trial Judge upheld no case submissions and directed the juries to return formal verdicts of not guilty; in another four, the accused all pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter and are awaiting sentence.
ln another one, the accused was acquitted by a unanimous jury verdict of not guilty. Two matters are in progress.
ln the Sexual Offences Court, State Counsel Tiffini Lyken, Nafeeza Baig, and State Counsel Praneeta Seeraj prosecuted four cases. In two of these, the juries returned not guilty verdicts; in one other, the Court declared a mistrial and ordered the accused, who was charged with five counts of sexual offences to face a retrial. This was after the jury failed to reach a decisive verdict.
ln the other case, the accused, who was indicted on two counts: rape and assault causing grievous bodily harm, was acquitted on the first charge by a majority 10 to two jury verdict, but found unanimously guilty of the latter. He is awaiting sentencing.
State Counsel Caressa Henry, State Counsel Latiffa Elliot; State Counsel Alicia Lowe and State Counsel Mikel Puran completed one matter with three accused indicted together for the offence of murder before Justice Priya Beharry.
All three accused were found unanimously guilty by jury verdict and will be sentenced on June 27, 2023.
Of the 18 matters nolle prosequi by the DPP, seven complainants submitted written statements that they did not wish to proceed with their cases; in two others, the accused had died. The other complaints could not be located.

Court of Appeal
During the months of April and May, the DPP Chambers appeared in two appeals in the Court of Appeal for the offences of simple larceny and rape of a child under 16 years.
The court denied one appellant his application for bail pending his appeal against conviction and sentence; while it allowed the appeal in the sexual offence matter and ordered a retrial for the appellant.
During this time too, it appeared in two appeal matters at the Demerara Full Court for the offences of sexual assault and possession of narcotics. Both appellants were granted their applications.
The Demerara June 2023 Criminal Assizes will commence on Tuesday, June 6, with 266 cases listed to be heard.
Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, Justice Navindra Singh and Justice Sandil Kissoon are rostered to sit during this session. (G12)