59 persons on remand to stand trial at Berbice Assizes

– as June session of Criminal Assizes opened Tuesday

Fifty-nine persons are currently remanded at the New Amsterdam Prisons awaiting trial at the Berbice Assizes. This is according to the Officer in-charge of Prisons, Senior Superintendent Patrick Crawford.
The June session of the Criminal Assizes opened Tuesday with the traditional parade and march past.
This is the fifth time that there was an all-female parade for the opening of the Assizes.
An Assistant Superintendent led the parade and march past. In addition, an Inspector, Sergeant, and twenty-eight ranks made up the all-female contingent.
The salute was taken by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
The June Session will be presided over by Justice Peter Hugh, where there are 59 persons currently remanded at the New Amsterdam Prisons awaiting trial.
These include 49 for murder, 2 for attempted murder, one for sexual activity with a child, and one for sexual penetration with a child.
Additionally, there are four persons remanded for sexual penetration and two for unlawful wounding.
The age range for those remanded is from 18 years to 71.
Of the 49 who have been indicted for murder, five are teenagers and 32 are between the ages of 21 and 30, while 11 fall between the ages of 31 and 40.
The oldest person remanded is a 71-year-old man who is indicted for sexual penetration.
Apart from those remanded, the list of persons who are expected to stand trial at the June Session includes persons who would have been granted bail before their trial.
The gazetted list has 89 persons, with additional names for sexually related offences, possession of firearm without a licence, and embezzlement.
Justice Sewnarine-Beharry is expected to conduct one trial before Justice Peter Hugh takes over.
The session will run until October.