28-year-old found guilty by Demerara High Court jury

Georgetown, Guyana: Twenty-eight-year-old Ishaka John was found guilty on murder charges by a Demerara High Court jury on Wednesday.

He was held unanimously guilty of the capital offence of murder. Notably, John of A Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, had been on trial before Judge Jo Ann Barlow for the 2019 murder of 32-year-old Jason Bowen of Camp Street, Georgetown.

It is to be noted that the judge has adjourned the matter until January 9, 2024, for further directions. In a meanwhile, this convict remains on remand.

John was then represented by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes and associates. The matter was prosecuted by the State Counsel Praneta Seeraj and State Counsel Padma Dubraj.

It is to be added in the remarks of the police that Bowen of Camp Street was attacked and choked with a belt on October 12, 2019, at around 21:38 hours in front of a building at Church Street, Georgetown.

As soon as officials reached the crime scene, they held an investigation where a security guard told them that John and the now-dead man were seen struggling, and John wrapped a belt around the victim’s neck and strangled him.

The verdict was returned in accordance with section 77 of the Criminal Law (Procedure) Act, which states: If any person appears, either on arraignment or before, to be insane =, the court may order a jury to be empanelled to try the sanity of a person, and the jury shall thereupon, after hearing evidence for that person, find whether he is or is not insane and unfit to take his trial.

But a verdict under this shall not affect the trial of any person so found to be insane for the offence for which he was indicted if he subsequently becomes of sound mind.

Many people expressed their frustration regarding this matter on social media; one has commented:

“As long and take the life of another person or persons shouldn’t get away must face the consequences of law enforcement.”

Another person expressed his concern as it has become the norm to kill people and walk freely. Therefore, there is a need to adopt strict measures to deal with such crimes.