Former New Amsterdam (NA) mayor, Errol Alphonso, yesterday appeared in a Berbice Court charged with two counts of attempted murder and was later released on $500,000 bail.
Errol Alphonso
Alphonso, 68, of Penitentiary Walk, NA was not required to plead to the two indictable counts when they were read to him by Magistrate Tejnarine Ramroop at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court, East Canje, Berbice, yesterday morning.
It is alleged that on September 3 at Penitentiary Walk, he wounded Sherwin Vyphuis and Aubrey Brandt when he discharged several rounds from his licensed firearm. The charge was recommended after the police sent their file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.
On the day in question, Vyphuis who is a patient of the NA psychiatric hospital was seen in a yard next to Alphonso’s home. The former mayor now a businessman called the police at around 4:45 pm and reported that there was a suspicious man near his home and when officers arrived, Vyphuis was found hiding in a water tank. The man was arrested and placed to sit in a police van. Brandt, who was earlier arrested for another matter, was also sitting in the van.
According to reports Vyphuis began behaving disorderly and managed to escape, knocking over a policeman and Alphonso in the process. After later being recaptured he was again placed in the police vehicle but was behaving aggressively towards the businessman.
It is alleged that the mentally ill man tried to attack again and Alphonso pulled out his licenced firearm and discharged several rounds. Vyphuis sustained a gunshot wound to the knee while Brandt was hit in the groin. Both men were taken to the hospital where they were admitted under police guard.
Alphonso was also hospitalized for hypertension. He was however released from the facility yesterday morning and made a court appearance shortly after. Vyphuis was sent to the Psychiatric Hospital while Brandt was sent home.
In court yesterday, the businessman was represented by attorneys-at-law Lloyd Thomas and Ramesh Rajkumar. In a bail application Thomas told the court that his client was a Mayor for two terms and is also a prominent businessman in the NA area. The attorney added that Alphonso has been involved in social services and has been a licensed firearm holder for over 40 years.
He gave the assurance that if granted bail, Alphonso will return for his matters.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Satrohan Diaram objected to bail. The matter continues on October 7 at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court.
WOW ! Cuss-bird in trouble now, If only he had just leave the shooting of the bandits to the cops, well it could have been worst so good luck in court Errol !!
Errol is no Gilhuys that is why he was charged
This man use his firsarm to clearly defend/protect himself for, potential/apparent danger.If he wanted to harm anyone,he could have used his gun before he call the police. He did the right thing by calling the police and only use his gun when there wes imminent danger. Then why was he charged.
We cannot compare him th Gilhuys. Gilhuys story is different there is more behind his story than we are told.If you really know gilhuys story you would probably say he was rihht to use his firearm too.
Anyway I am with you on this. I know what you meant to say>
no
Why charge the businessman with attempted murder? This DPP is behaving rediculous, is she trying to prove that her decisions to charge gun holders – licenced or not, of not being biased based on the gun holders’ status in society , be it magistrate or mayor since that horrible mistake with the Gordon Gilhuys saga?
According to SN’s report, the businessman was clearly acting in self defence of these two criminals, one who proved to be dangerous to the businessman’s life by attacking him, and, to the arresting officer’s safety. The other suspect – a mental patient, was not only trying to hurt others in his bid to escape, but was mentally unpredictable as to what he was capable of doing.
I think that given the circumstances, the businessman acted reasonably. The suspects were shot in the knee and the other in the groin…AND WAS SENT HOME ALIVE. It could’ve been worst…two dead bandits, less for the police to deal with and arelief for society. They’re lucky the businessman was not me.
the problem arise after they were arrested, they try to escape then he shot them.
he had no right to shoot after the police was involve.
Hmmm. Well this is some kind a development. This online version does add up. ‘It is alleged that the mentally ill man tried to attack again’ attack who? where? in the presence of the police? I guess I have to make a call and get the missing specifics. And the charge of attempted murder? It seems as if he, Mr. Alfanso shot to restrain his alleged attacker(s). Lets see where this all ends up.
like i said before the police officers were on the scene therefore no
need for this citizen to open fire on those two suspects, he should be
charged and prosecuted for his ignorance, if they were no police
officer on the scene i would have given him the benefit of the doubt
that his life was threatened and deadly force had to be used but
that was not the case.
I think Mr. Alphonso is wrong. The police Officers present didn’t see the need to used their weapons, simple because they did not detect any danger. I believe that Errol is no Gilhuys but his trigger happiness have him right where he should be.
In the presence of the Police Officers he(Errol Alphonso) is opening fire on the prisoners. what is Guyana coming to. As a former Mayor Mr. Alphonso should know better. If he doesn’t go to jail then he should pay the prisoners a hefty compensation, just for his lack of judgment and recklessness.
I totally agree with you torbo and pepie, what were the police doing, this man (Alphonso) had no right to take the law into his own hand, what possible danger could he have been in, yet the police who were on the scene did not deem it necessary to draw their weapon, this is clear attempted murder not self defence, bail should denied.
He should be put in jail. I am sure if it was an ordinary man that where he would have ended up. we have to make some of these public figure examples.
Does not add up… If attacked once, would the police not have these individuals fully restrained to prevent another such incident? Something is missing..
that’s how the police operate in Guyana. I am sure it’s probably because nothing was available for the boys dem. Police in Guyana are motivated by the money they can collect on the road
Why is it that whenever there is an insident that involved the use
of a firearm legal or ilegal that the police always have to send
their files to the DPP for advice ??????.
The DPP has Supt Steven Mari files over a year now, when
are you gointo release this man files Madam DPP ?????.