2025-05-01 09:30:42

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—could face the death penalty, fines of up to $1.5 million A HEAVY atmosphere hung over the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday as over two dozen men—most unrepresented and visibly distraught—were hauled before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore. They were charged with inciting public terror during this week’s violent protests across the capital and other parts of the country. The unrest erupted following Monday’s autopsy on 11-year-old Adrianna Younge, who was discovered dead last Thursday in the pool of the Double Day Hotel at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) on April 24, 2025. The post-mortem, conducted by three pathologists—including two from the United States and one from Barbados—confirmed that Adrianna died by drowning. The child’s death sparked public outrage. However, the confirmation did little to ease growing tensions, as her family and sections of the public continue to suspect foul play in her untimely death. The courtroom echoed with loud sobs and the shuffling of bandaged limbs, as several of the accused cried openly, alleging they were beaten by police during arrest. Many of the men claimed they were innocent bystanders, caught up while “liming” on the streets or walking home from work. One of the accused tearfully stated, “I was only trying to make peace,” while others insisted, they were not involved in the chaos that gripped parts of Georgetown following the release of a post-mortem report on the Parika Salem Primary School student. The first group to be arraigned on the joint terrorism charge included nine individuals from various walks of life. They were Kerwyn Baksh, 39, a self-employed vendor; 22-year-old Devon Lewis, a porter; Randy Benjamin, 26, a taxi driver; Alex Atkinson, 19, who is unemployed; Aidan Cuffy, 21, and Jason Hardy, 25, both construction workers; Tyrese Hassanah, 21, another porter; 25-year-old Jumal Singh, a mechanical engineer; and Faizal Kennedy, 23, a delivery rider. It is alleged that on April 28, 2025, along Cemetery Road, Georgetown, between Toucan Street and Middle Road, the nine accused carried out a terrorist act with the intent to instill fear among Georgetown residents. They are accused of placing wood and other debris on the roadway and setting them ablaze, in a manner that either caused or was likely to cause damage to property or its destruction. The nine men also face separate charges of break and enter, accused of unlawfully entering the business place of Jin Bao Lin and stealing groceries, snacks, phone cards, and hardware items valued at $6 million—the properties of Tian Ci Lin. In addition, three other individuals were jointly charged in connection with terrorist acts allegedly committed along Sussex and Hill Streets in Albouystown, Georgetown. The accused are Sherwin Nelson, 20, who is unemployed; Desafio Harvey, 20, a porter; and Qubert Elgin, 53, a vendor. Another three men were remanded in connection with the unrest that occurred in Durban Backlands, Georgetown. They have been identified as Kevin James, 34, a carpenter; Antonio Lawrence, 19, a construction worker; and Vincent Trim, 28, also a construction worker. Moreover, two more men were charged in relation to similar offences allegedly committed along Hunter Street, Albouystown, between West Ruimveldt Front Road and Mandela Avenue. The accused are Emanuel James, 18, a porter, and Jamal Small, 25, a fish vendor. In addition to the terrorism-related charge, the duo is also accused of breaking into a business place owned by Jin Bao Lin and stealing items valued at $500,000. Also charged in connection with the unrest are Hassan Muhammed, Omadath Bridgemohan, Shem Howard, Ron Mitchell, Kevin Rodney, Leon Albert, Samuel October, Arnold Junior, Kemuel Abraham, Leroy Sealey-Yaw, and Shamol Ram. Abraham, Sealey-Yaw, and Ram are accused of breaking into Ying’s Supermarket on April 29, 2025, at Tucville, Georgetown, where they allegedly stole various items and caused damage to the property. Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that the group was caught on surveillance footage placing debris on public roadways, setting fires, destroying infrastructure, and looting businesses. He said they broke into two supermarkets during the unrest, stealing goods. None of the accused were required to enter pleas during Wednesday’s proceedings. Prosecutor Jones, arguing for their continued detention, described the group as a threat to national security. The prosecutor noted that their actions had widespread consequences, including the diversion of international flights, the closure of businesses, and even hospitals being forced to shut their gates. He emphasised the seriousness of the allegations, stating that swift police response had prevented further destruction and led to the arrests. Magistrate Azore ordered all 28 men remanded to prison until their next court appearance, set for May 28, 2025. Notably, several other men appeared before courts in various parts of the country, facing similar charges. They were also ordered to remain in prison pending their next court appearance. Recognised as one of the most severe offences, Section 309(A) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act provides that a terrorist act resulting in death attracts a $1.5 million fine along with the death penalty. In instances where no loss of life occurs, offenders face a minimum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for a period ranging from 10 to 15 years. Meanwhile, as the men were led out of the Georgetown courtroom—some limping, some quietly whispering prayers—family members behaved disorderly outside the courthouse. One woman shouted to police ranks, “They innocent! Why y’all treating them like criminals?” Meanwhile, the police have confirmed that another batch of accused protesters is expected to be arraigned later this week as investigations continue. On Tuesday, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) reported that, with assistance from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), they had successfully restored law and order across the country following recent unrest. Authorities confirmed the arrest of over 100 individuals in connection with various offences, including robbery under-arms. Additionally, police disclosed that 37 motorcycles believed to have been used in the commission of crimes were seized during the ongoing operations. Several suspects have been named in wanted bulletins issued by the police.