Man acquitted of killing Linden businessman

John Caesar, a 40-year-old former resident of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, has been found not guilty of the murder of businessman Romel Edison Gomes, aka “Eddy”, of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), which was allegedly committed on March 12, 2018 in the county of Demerara.
Currently serving jail time for attempted murder and drug trafficking, John Caesar
had been on trial before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow and a mixed 12-member jury for this murder; but after deliberating for a little over two hours, the panel returned with a unanimous not-guilty verdict on Tuesday.
According to reports, Gomes, a former national footballer and father of one, of Lot 53 Wismar Housing Scheme, Linden, was murdered reportedly by one of two persons who had last been seen at his home. The late 32-year-old businessman had allegedly been heard arguing with one of the men prior to his demise; and it was reported that, during the argument, a loud explosion had been heard, and the suspects had fled the scene in Gomes’s motor car – PVV 2057 – which had been parked in front of his shop.
Gomes’s body had been discovered in a pool of blood with his hands bound, and he had been gagged with a bandana. His body had reportedly borne a gunshot wound to his right temple, a small laceration on top of his head, and another lacerated wound to the neck.
A post-mortem examination had later given his cause of death as gunshot wound to the head. Following an investigation, Caesar was arrested and charged with the murder.

Life sentence
In 2018, Caesar and Marissa George were each handed respective life and 15-year sentences for the attempted murder and robbery of businesswoman Dhanwantie Phulchand, which had occurred in an attack at her Rishma Collection store in the City Mall in Georgetown on July 4, 2009.
Caesar had also been sentenced to life for the violent robbery in which US$2,000, GY$100,000, and other items were taken, while George was given a 10-year sentence for the crime.
Caesar would not be considered eligible for parole until he has served 35 years. Justice Sandil Kissoon had imposed the jail terms on these convicts, and they were to be served concurrently.

According to the initial reports, the pair had entered the woman’s store at around 17:00 hours on the day in question and demanded money and other valuables. When she declined their demands, they had started to hit and chop her about the body.

Drug trafficking
Then last year, Caesar was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and fined $2.5M after pleading guilty to trafficking nearly seven pounds of marijuana into the Mazaruni Prison.
On March 10, 2022, prison officials had observed Caesar walking around the prison with a five-gallon bottle in his hand. They called out to him, but he ignored them and continued walking. A prison rank caught up with him and enquired about the contents of the bottle he was carrying, and he told them that it was water. The prison officer collected the bottle and escorted Caesar to an office, where the bottle was opened in his presence and found to contain a quantity of marijuana, three cellular phones, three cellphone chargers, 20 packs of cigarettes, and an earpiece. (G1)