Six soldiers to be jailed for desertion, being AWOL

Six Guyana Defence Force ranks are to be incarcerated for being Absent Without Leave and Desertion following the conclusion of their Court Martial trials on May 15 last.

A release from the GDF yesterday said that Corporal Jerome Gomes, Ordinary Rating Anthony Mortley and Ordinary Rating Gavin Andrews were sentenced to three months imprisonment after being charged with the offence of absence without leave contrary section 48(a) of the Defence Act, Chapter 15:01. Gomes was represented by attorney at law James Bond while Mortley and Andrews were unrepresented.

The release said that Corporals Ptolemy Ireland and Ravin Carroll were sentenced to three  months and four months imprisonment respectively.

They were charged with the offence of desertion. They were both unrepresented.  Meanwhile, the GDF said that Private Kumar Shivlochan who was charged with the offence of absence without leave contrary section 48(a) of the Defence Act, was sentenced to 42 days detention and discharge with ignominy. He too was unrepresented.

Gomes, Mortley Andrews, Ireland and Carroll are to be jailed at state prisons, the GDF said.

The trials started and ended on the 15th May 2013 and all accused persons pleaded guilty.