Deadly Mobil Service Station bombing: Paper committal proceedings adjourned to Sept 9 

The paper committal proceedings into the deadly October 2025 bombing at the Mobil service station in Georgetown were on Wednesday adjourned until September 9.
The matter was adjourned after defence attorneys sought additional time to prepare and file written legal submissions challenging the sufficiency of the prosecution’s evidence against the four accused persons. The date was selected as the next available hearing, with Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty expected to proceed on vacation leave from next week.
The prosecution, led by Senior Police Legal Advisor Mandel Moore, was also afforded additional time to prepare its response to the defence’s submissions.
The proceedings form part of a paper committal process.

During this stage, the Magistrate reviews documentary evidence to determine whether the prosecution has established a prima facie case for the accused to stand trial in the High Court in Demerara, without hearing oral testimony from witnesses.
At the previous hearing on July 8, the prosecution concluded the presentation of its documentary evidence after Moore tendered additional video recordings and 43 photographs of the Mobil Service Station at the corner of Regent and King Streets and the surrounding area.
Following the close of the prosecution’s case, the proceedings were adjourned to July 15 for defence submissions on behalf of Venezuelan nationals Alexander Bettencourt and Jhonny Boodram and Guyanese-Venezuelan Krystal La Cruz.

Attorneys-at-law Nickesha Daniels, Shellon Boyce and Zola Williams of the Guyana Legal Aid Clinic, who represent alleged mastermind Daniel Alexander Ramirez Poedemo, informed the court that no statements would be filed on his behalf, as he would exercise his constitutional right to remain silent.
Attorney Kiswana Jefford had previously filed a statement on behalf of LaCruz and sought time to make legal submissions in support of her client, while attorney Mikel Puran filed documents, including Boodram’s birth certificate, immunisation card and Guyana passport, as part of his defence. Attorney-at-law Melvin Duke appeared on behalf of Bettencourt when the matter was called on Wednesday.
The prosecution has presented an extensive body of documentary evidence since the paper committal proceedings began in early June. That evidence includes dozens of witness statements, forensic and DNA reports, photographs, documentary exhibits and numerous video recordings gathered during the investigation.

Poedemo is charged under Section 3(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act with allegedly placing and detonating an explosive device with the intent to threaten Guyana’s security and sovereignty or terrorise the public, resulting in the death of six-year-old Soraya Bourne.
Bettencourt, Boodram and LaCruz are jointly charged with aiding and abetting Poedemo in the alleged terrorist act.
None of the accused is required to enter a plea at this stage of the proceedings, and all remain on remand pending the outcome of the paper committal.
The charges arise from the October 26, 2025, explosion at the Mobil Service Station, where an explosive device detonated while Bourne was seated in a vehicle with members of her family. The child later died from her injuries, several relatives were injured, and nearby buildings and vehicles sustained extensive damage.

The current proceedings involve four of the original seven accused. Earlier this year, Guyanese nationals Ramesh Pramdeo and Wayne Correia were discharged after a Magistrate upheld no-case submissions in their favour.
However, their former co-accused, Venezuelan national Jennifer Rodriguez, was committed to stand trial in the High Court on a charge of aiding and abetting terrorism after the Magistrate ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against her.
Rodriguez was denied bail and remains on remand pending her trial at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Criminal Assizes.
Investigators have alleged that Poedemo confessed to entering Guyana illegally by boat from Venezuela hours before the attack and admitted to bringing the explosive device into the country. Police also alleged that he identified himself as a member of the Venezuelan Syndicato gang known as “Organisation R”.
The Government of Guyana has previously indicated that it intends to seek the death penalty against anyone convicted in the case under Guyana’s anti-terrorism laws, which provide for capital punishment where a terrorist act results in death.