Family members of 21-year-old Kevin Garraway could not contain tears of joy at the High Court on Tuesday after the former accused was declared a free man by Justice Navindra Singh following a unanimous not guilty verdict that was returned by a 12-member jury for the murder of 28-year-old Orrett West.
Dead: Orrett West
Garraway was slapped with the capital offence detailing that on June 3, 2016, at Plaisance Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara, he murdered Orrett West of Guyhoc Park, Georgetown.
The trial before Justice Navindra Singh ended on Tuesday after a total of six witnesses including the father, girlfriend, brother and three investigating police ranks were called to give evidence in relation to the murder of West.
Justice Singh, after summing up the matter, told the jury that based on the statement given by Garraway, it was evident that he acted in self-defence since there was not sufficient evidence which determined that he was the attacker.
The jury returned with a not guilty verdict.
The now free man exited the courtroom in smiles accompanied by his happy relatives.
Garraway was represented by Defence Attorney Maxwell McKay. Meanwhile, Tariq Mohammed, Abigail Gibbs and Tuanna Hardy represented the State.
The prosecution’s case had contended that Garraway, on June 3, 2016, confronted the now dead man and asked if he still wanted a problem after an earlier dispute. According to the prosecution, Garraway was at the time referring to a previous misunderstanding with the deceased’s girlfriend. The State’s case noted that in retaliation, West pushed Garraway after which a scuffle ensued between the two. During the midst of the altercation, West was stabbed in the neck and chest. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
A post-mortem examination conducted on the body of West revealed that he died due to shock and haemorrhage caused by stab wounds to the neck and chest. The prosecution during the trial also noted that Garraway managed to avoid police apprehension for three months but was captured in September of 2016.
