Trio committed to High Court trial

Kaieteur News grenade attack

The three men implicated in the June 2016 Kaieteur News grenade attack were committed to stand trial at the High Court.

Alfie Garraway of Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown; Leroy Williams of Durban Backlands and Janiel Howard of Section C Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown made their final appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where it was determined that a prima facie case was made out against them, signalling that the prosecution had enough evidence for the three men to stand trial at the Demerara High Court.

The charge read to the three accused stated that on the day in question, they unlawfully and maliciously conspired together with others to cause explosion by way of grenade likely to endanger lives or cause damage to property.

At a future criminal session, the trio’s case will be presided over by a judge and a 12-member jury panel, the latter of which will decide whether or not the trio is innocent or guilty.

In June last year, a live grenade was hurdled from a grey Toyota Spacio motor car at a vehicle belonging to Kaieteur News Publisher Glenn Lall at the newspaper’s Saffon Street office. This occurred on the first night of the wake for the publication’s late senior crime correspondent, Dale Andrews. Following the discovery of the grenade, persons ran hysterically to safety. Those at the wake had recalled hearing a strange sound, but only assumed that it was the sound of a glass shattering. The grenade had subsequently been found lying next to the right tyre of Lall’s black Lexus vehicle. Based on surveillance footage, detectives arrested a number of persons in connection with the terrorist act. However, the main suspect, Shemar Wilson, called Abdude, remains on the run.

In a statement on the night of the attack last year, Government said that it was alarmed by the act of domestic terrorism attempted against the newspaper and had pledged its resolute support in defence of press freedom in Guyana.

“We do not believe that the dropping of a grenade, even if a fake device, alongside a newspaper publisher’s vehicle could be considered a joke or a hoax. It was grave and an undisputed act of terror designed to intimidate, harm and create fear,” the coalition Administration had stated.

Similarly, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee had also expressed great concern over the attack, and said that the PPP was opposed to any act of terrorism.

The Guyana Press Association (GPA) had stated that the attack had a “chilling effect on press freedom”. The Private Sector Commission (PSC) was just another of many other organisations and interest groups that condemned the attack.