Security guard who fatally stabbed handyman, freed
…after jury delivers unanimous not guilty verdict
Kelvin Chisholm who was accused of fatally stabbing a handyman to death for stealing two items, walked out of court a free man after he was acquitted by a 12-member jury at the High Court in Georgetown on Thursday. Chisholm, a security guard, was reported to have confessed that the deceased, Nigel Lawson, stole his cellphone and I-pod and that he rode his bicycle, pursed and stabbed him after they had a scuffle on Quamina Street, Georgetown on the evening of May 1, 2014.
However, when the matter was handed over to the jury for deliberation, after two hours of discussion, Chisholm was unanimously found not guilty of both murder
Freed: Kelvin Chisholm
and manslaughter. Presiding Judge, Justice Navindra Singh encouraged the former accused to inform the Police in the future when such matters arise before telling him that he was free to go. After he departed the Judge’s court room, Chisholm told Guyana Times that he was grateful to be acquitted and attributed his freedom to much prayer.
It was on Wednesday that main witness, Rollin Sarrabo testified via Skype from the United States, that he saw the two men arguing loudly in front of his Quamina Street home. He had also said that he saw Chisholm make a motion towards Lawson but did not see what the accused used to stab Lawson with.
Police Detective, Inspector Herbet Henry had testified to witnessing the caution statement of Chishlom and that he took him back to the scene on Quamina Street. Henry told the court that the accused man said that the deceased “thief me thing and I went behind he and he cuff me; we had a scuffle and ah tek me knife and bore he.”
Henry had also told the jury that he went to the place where Chishlom said he was guarding and recovered the cellphone, I-pod and bicycle. Similarly, Police Lance Corporal Quinn Sandy testified that the accused told him that the now deceased man went into his yard and stole his cellphone and I-pod. Sandy claimed that Chisholm told him that the two men had a “fine scuffle”.
Lawson, who did odd jobs around the area, died from perforation to the heart and lungs via a stab wound. Chisholm was represented by lawyers Hewley Griffith and Compton Richardson while Prosecutors Abigail Gibbs and Tiffini Lyken represented the State.
