DPP secures 36 convictions, 63 guilty pleas from 153 cases in 2023

The Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) have secured 36 convictions and 63 guilty pleas from the 153 cases that were presented at the High Courts in the three counties.
These figures were drawn from the Demerara, Berbice and Essequibo Assizes in 2023.
In an issued statement on Friday, it highlighted that 221 cases were disposed of in 2023, with 153 of them receiving attention at the High Court in Demerara, Berbice, and Essequibo. Fifty-eight cases were nolle prosequi.
Of these 153 cases, 98 were presented at the Demerara Assizes, 32 at the Berbice Assizes, and 23 at the Essequibo Assizes. The bulk of the cases were for the capital offence of murder.
“There were 88 cases for the offence of murder, three cases for the offence of manslaughter, 51 cases for sexual offences, 10 cases for the offence of attempt to commit murder, and a case for the offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm,” the release noted.
According to the statement, there were 36 convictions, 45 formal verdicts of not guilty, 33 not guilty verdicts by jury, 63 guilty pleas, six hung juries, and one mistrial. Some 189 accused persons had their trials at the High Courts.
ln 2023, the DPP’s Office received 174 committal documents; 95 of these for the county of Demerara, 31 for the county of Berbice, and 48 for the county of Essequibo.
Of these 174 depositions, 81 have been indicted, charges for eight were discontinued because there was not sufficient evidence for the DPP to prefer an indictment, 69 are receiving attention, five were remitted to the Magistrates’ Courts, seven were additional evidence for matters which the Chambers had previously received and four were discharged matters.