Just months after an attempted murder charge was dismissed against businesswoman Maryann Daby by Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, the same Magistrate also dismissed all other charges brought against the woman.
Maryann Daby
Magistrate Daly on Monday ruled that the prosecution was unable to provide sufficient evidence against the businesswoman with respect to her having in her possession an illegal firearm and matching ammunition.
On July 18, 2019, Magistrate Daly discharged the attempted murder charge against Daby, citing that the evidence of the victim, key police witnesses John Holder and Superintendent Gary McAllister were conflicting and not credible.
After the attempted murder charge was discharged, Police Prosecutor Richard Harris had asked for the illegal gun and ammo charges to be transferred to another court for trial.
Prosecutor Harris, in justifying his request, had stated that it would be prejudicial for the same Magistrate, who found Daby not guilty for attempted murder, to try her for two other related offences.
Jailed: John Holder
It was reported that on May 13, 2018, at Albert Street, Thomas Lands, Georgetown, Daby, 26, of D’Aguiar Park, Houston, Greater Georgetown, had a .32 pistol along with six live rounds of ammunition in her possession when she was not the holder of an enforced firearm license. She had denied the charges.
Meanwhile, Police Constable John Holder, who testified in the attempted murder case was slapped with a three-month jail sentence after he was found guilty of perverting the course of justice.
Holder appeared on Monday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Senior Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, who imposed the custodial sentence.
Holder, 28, of North Road, Bourda, had initially denied the charge which alleged that between August 10, 2018, and October 2, 2018, at Georgetown, he willfully attempted to pervert the course of justice by deviating from his police statement dated May 13, 2018, in the case involving Police vs Maryann Daby.
The man’s lawyer, on his first court appearance, had told the court that his client told the truth under oath and did nothing wrong. According to information, Holder was the key witness in the attempted murder case.
On several occasions, during the preliminary inquiry, Holder changed his statements about the role he played in the investigation.
The court heard that while Holder was testifying in the matter, which was before a city Magistrate, he deviated from his original statements, and told the court that a top-ranking officer instructed him to change his statement. He said he complied with the directive of his senior.
It was reported that the businesswoman attempted to discharge a firearm at Police Constable Christopher Kissoon. According to reports, Daby and her friends were at the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC), Thomas Lands, when Constable Kissoon, who was off-duty at the time, reportedly went to investigate the sound of gunshots.
While checking for the source of the gunfire, he reportedly saw Daby discharging several rounds into the air, and as a result, he confronted her.
Daby allegedly became annoyed and pointed the firearm to his head and pulled the trigger. However, the barrel was empty at the time.
