Six men granted bail after initial remand on terrorism charges

Six men who were previously remanded on terrorism-related charges were granted bail on Wednesday, following an appearance before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The accused—18-year-old Marvin Sears of Lot 1 Smythe and Durban Streets, Georgetown; 23-year-old Jamal Cornette of Lot 77 Farm Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD); 25-year-old Kevin Thomas of Lot 63 Fourth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown; 38-year-old Dion Norville of Sussex Street, Charlestown, Georgetown; 21-year-old Shamar Ross of Lot 1667 Westminster Street, West Bank Demerara (WBD); and 21-year-old Shane Burnette of Lot 1791 Parfaite Harmonie, WBD—were each granted bail in the sum of GY$250,000.

Their initial court appearance was held on May 2, 2025, during which they were not required to enter a plea. However, on Wednesday, all six pleaded not guilty.
The allegation before the court is that on April 28, 2025, the men committed a terrorist act in Georgetown by dangerously manoeuvring their motorcycles in traffic. According to the charge, they rode in large groups, at high speeds, weaving between vehicles and occupying both lanes of the roadways.
Prosecutors had previously objected to bail, citing the serious nature of the charge. The state’s case claimed the defendants’ actions led to widespread disruption, including school and business closures and flight cancellations due to public fear.
At the initial hearing, Attorney Domnick Bess represented Sears, while Darren Wade appeared on behalf of Cornette, Thomas, Norville, Ross, and Burnette. Bess told the court that his client had been arrested alone on Smythe Street and was not part of any group. He argued that Sears was innocent of the charges.
Wade too, challenged the terrorism charge, questioning how riding in two lanes could be deemed an act of terror. He suggested the incident, if anything, merited traffic-related charges instead and asked that the men be released on self-bail.
At Wednesday’s hearing, Bess and Wade jointly represented Burnette. Bess also represented Sears and Cornette alongside Attorney Dexter Smartt, while Wade remained the legal representative for Thomas, Norville, and Ross.
The defence attorneys maintained that the charges lacked foundation and that there was no evidence to support claims that the men incited public terror. Bess further emphasised that his clients had been arrested individually — Sears near his home on Smyth Street, and Burnette alone at Stabroek Market.
After considering the bail applications, Magistrate Azore granted bail with conditions. Each defendant must report to the Ruimveldt Police Station every Monday at 9 am. Magistrate Azore warned that failure to comply with this condition would lead to revocation of bail.