Murder accused jailed for illegal gun, ammo

A man who was wanted for the 2021 murder of a Campbellville, Georgetown mechanic, was on Monday remanded to prison for the capital offence and also slapped with a three-year jail sentence for illegal possession of a firearm and several rounds of ammunition.
John Kennedy called “Big John”, a 40-year-old farmer of Field 8, Section B Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was arrested on June 13 by Police on mobile patrol.
Before acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, Kennedy was not required to plead to the indictable charge for the offence of murder committed on Jaleel Leow, 21, on August 2, 2021.
He was remanded until July 13.
According to reports, Police ranks in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), were on patrol duty when they stopped Kennedy at about 10:00h in the vicinity of Main and Church Street, New Amsterdam, and conducted a search on him.
During the search, officers found a 9mm pistol with no serial number along with 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition. As such, he was taken into custody.
However, this publication was told that at the time of his arrest, he told the Police that his name was “Mark Brown” and gave his address as Lot 80 Rose Hall, Corentyne, Berbice.
It was not until after he was processed for the offence of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition that it was discovered that he is already wanted by the Police for Leow’s murder.
Days after the killing, a wanted bulletin was issued for him.
Leow was gunned down on August 2, 2021.
Police had reported that the incident occurred at around 17:50h while the young man was hanging out with a group of people at B Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown.
According to Police, Leow was with a female shopkeeper and several other mechanics at the woman’s house when they were approached by two suspects – identified only as “Big John” or “Double Clip” and “Brainer” at the time.
The group was heading into the woman’s yard when one of the men, “Big John”, reportedly pulled out a handgun from the waist of his pants, walked up to the Leow as he was walking into the yard, and discharged two rounds which struck him to his upper back.
The young man fell to the ground and the gunman discharged two more rounds, which hit him in his upper chest.
The injured Leow got up and ran to the back of the yard where he collapsed. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
The shooter then fired another shot at another man from the group, who was standing by the roadside. However, the bullet just grazed him on his right upper hand.
The shooter and his accomplice then mounted their bicycles and made good their escape.
Meanwhile, Kennedy also appeared at the No 51 Village Magistrate’s Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On each of the two charges, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
The prison terms are to run concurrently. (G1)