Accused walks free as jury returns not guilty verdict

2003 Blue Iguana murder trial

A jury on Wednesday acquitted Mark Lowchee who was accused of the September 21, 2003 murder of Collis De Abreau, who had been shot dead in front of the Blue Iguana Nightclub in Georgetown.

Lowchee’s trial commenced on Monday before Justice Navindra Singh and a jury at the High Court in Demerara.
Upon his arraignment, Lowchee, also known as “Mark Lee”, pleaded not guilty to the murder indictment presented against him by State Prosecutor Tiffini Lyken. He was represented by Attorney-at-law Ravindra Mohabir.
Following deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous not guilty verdict. Accordingly, the judge informed Lowchee that he was discharged and free to go.
During her opening address, Prosecutor Lyken told the jury that on September 21, 2003, at around 04:00h, De Abreau was standing with friends outside the Blue Iguana Night Club when an argument ensued between Lowchee and another person. According to the prosecutor, loud explosions were heard sometime after, and De Abreau was seen running away.

Prosecutor Lyken said the young man was later discovered in a nearby yard with what appeared to be gunshot wounds to his chest. She said his cause of death was given as perforation of the heart and lungs as a result of gunshot injuries.
Following the killing, a wanted a was issued for Lowchee. He, however, was not apprehended by the Police until 2017. At the time of his death, De Abreau had resided with his parents and siblings at Lot 57 Fourth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown.