State to call 7 more witnesses in “Grey Boy” trial

Crum-Ewing’s murder

The remaining seven prosecution witnesses will testify on Tuesday when the trial of 45-year-old Regan Rodrigues, called “Grey Boy” who is accused of the March 10, 2015 murder of political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing continues before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12-member jury.

On Monday, Rodrigues appeared virtually from prison at the High Court in Demerara. State Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Tyra Bakker presented a murder indictment against him for Crum-Ewing’s murder which occurred at Third Avenue Diamond, East Bank Demerara. The accused has pleaded not guilty.
According to reports, 40-year-old Crum-Ewing, a father of three, was gunned down while he was encouraging residents in the area to vote at the May 2015 General and Regional Elections.
It was reported that Crum-Ewing’s motionless body was found with gunshot wounds to the temple, back of the head, and stomach. The Police in a statement had said that the political activist was accosted by four men in a car, one of whom discharged several rounds, hitting him about the body.
It was reported that the killer(s) used a .32 pistol to execute him. When Rodrigues’ trial commenced Monday, Police officers Dwayne Harvey and Devon Bowen were among those called to testify.

Harvey, a Sergeant of Police, told the jury that he was present when a party of Police ranks carried out a search on the murder accused’s home located at Riverview, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, where they discovered narcotics and an illegal gun, and several rounds of ammunition.
According to Sergeant Harvey, Rodrigues was told by a rank that he was being arrested for possession of illegal arms and ammunition and subsequently cautioned to which he replied, “Officer give me a chance nah! I can’t turn in this gun, this gun do nuff things.”
The Police witness recounted that Rodrigues was arrested and escorted out of the house during which he pushed the arresting rank aside, jumped into the Demerara River, and made good his escape. He said that a rank gave chase behind Rodrigues but was unable to apprehend him.
Sergeant Harvey added that the arresting rank took possession of the illegal firearm and ammunition and took them to the Ruimveldt Police Station where they were lodged and the necessary records made.

For his part, Policeman Devon Bowen said that during March 2015, he was stationed at the Golden Grove Police Station, East Bank Demerara, when he received a phone call about a body lying motionlessly at Third Avenue Diamond. As a result, Bowen stated that he and some other ranks went to the scene where they saw a man lying on the roadway with what appeared to be gunshot wounds.
The Police witness told the court that the body was escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital where it was pronounced dead before being taken to the Lyken Funeral Home.
In July 2015, Rodrigues was charged with unlawful possession of a gun and 14 live rounds of ammunition. It was reported that the gun was linked to Crum-Ewing’s murder. He was later freed of those charges after a Magistrate found that the prosecution failed to prove the elements of the offence.
In October 2017, Rodrigues was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for threatening Crum-Ewing’s mother, Donna Harcourt. The Court heard that on August 12, 2017, at Regent and Alexander Streets, Georgetown, he threatened the woman.
Prior to these, Rodrigues was also sentenced to three years’ imprisonment after he was found guilty by a city Magistrate of escaping from Police custody. (G1)