It was high drama at the High Court in Georgetown on Wednesday afternoon as security guard Marlon Callender was freed of a charge of murdering fisherman Envil Pollard over three years ago at the Pritipaul Wharf. He was on trial for the last several days for allegedly murdering Crane, West Coast Demerara fisherman and father of eight, Envil Pollard. However, the jury after two hours of deliberations returned a not guilty verdict and Callender walked out of a packed courtroom a free man, rushing into the arms of his loved ones.
Pollard died on January 29, 2015, after being shot and killed following a confrontation with Callender. The former accused claimed that Pollard approached him with a knife in his hand. Despite the defendant walking free, relatives of the deceased fisherman expressed great displeasure in the outcome, stating that they were denied justice, as Pollard’s common-law wife, Ashmoon Khan was most vocal in her despair, while holding on to the couple’s youngest child. The mother of eight cried out that the girl was less than two years old before her father was killed.
The fisherman’s sister, Sharon Pollard, similarly told Guyana Times that while they
Marlon Callender embracing a female relative moments after being freed
hold no grievances against Callender, the All Mighty will give them justice.
On Monday, Callender told the court in an unsworn statement that he acted in self-defence, saying the fisherman was repeatedly warned to remove from the area. After being freed on Wednesday, he offered condolences to Pollard’s family. Callender was represented by Attorney Lammy Singh while State Attorney Mandell Moore and Lisa Cave appeared for the State.
Callender had claimed that on January 29, 2015, he received two radio messages from another security officer. Thereafter, he learnt that the deceased was under the wharf. The court was further told that Pollard refused to remove despite repeated warnings. Callender continued, telling the jury earlier this week that he then fired a warning shot, but the fisherman still refused to remove, came unto the wharf and behaved in a disorderly manner.
“He started to curse me and I became afraid for my life and I asked him the move off the wharf, he made a few steps and I fired a shot which resulted in him being shot,” Callender claimed.
High Court Judge, Justice Sandhill Kissoon presided over the matter.
