Preliminary inquiries into several high profile murders have been put off until next month for the prosecution to seek assistance from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Jermaine Charles called ‘Skinny’, Dwight Da Silva, Quincy Evans, Terrence John, Delwayne Carrington and a 13-year-old, all of whom are charged for various murders appeared before Magistrate Gordon Gilhuys at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Charles is also to face a preliminary inquiry into the murder of Guilford Henry, a Guyana Defense Force rank, but this too was also put off for February. Defence Counsel Compton Richardson for Quincy Evans suggested to the police that they seek someone from the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to get involved in the cases so that they could be dealt with in a timely manner.
This suggestion came after the prosecutor indicated that he was only prepared to proceed with the Charles matter and no other. Magistrate Gilhuys subsequently agreed and instructed the police to get the files in order since the men were not jointly charged.
Meanwhile, Charles complained of chest pains saying that he has to sleep on the concrete in the prisons and added that he was only being given tablets and was never allowed to see a doctor.But Gilhuys advised the prisoner that he would have to write to the local human rights body and inform them accordingly.
Charles has been charged along with Da Silva for the murder of Barbot Paul, the Kaneville, East Bank Demerara businessman who was shot and killed outside his home on August 6. Charles is also accused of killing Devon Charles of Agricola on June 23, Guilford Henry on June 26, 2005 and 12-year-old Kevin Browne on March 18, 2006. He shares the murder charge for Browne with Dego France. Charles is also charged with Da Silva and Evans for being part of a group of men who allegedly murdered five Kaieteur News pressmen – Chetram Persaud, Eion Wegman, Richard Stewart, Mark Maikoo and Shazeem Mohamed. On August 8 they allegedly killed Wordsworth Grey. The 13-year-old boy was also charged for that murder. Charles was also recently charged for the murders of former Minister of Agriculture Satyadeow Sawh, Rajpat Sawh, Phulmattie Persaud and Curtis Robinson on April 22 at La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara. The men will return to court on February 16.
