Amerindian Affairs employee remanded to prison on Manslaughter charge

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Rocky Cumberbatch also called Rocky Alexander was today slapped with the charges of manslaughter and escaping from lawful custody.

The 29 – year – old accused of Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown, stood quietly in the prisoner’s dock and was not required to plead to the indictable charges which were read to him by Magistrate Faith McGusty.

It is alleged that on January 22, 2009 at Tamakay Landing, Essequibo River, he killed Marvin Charles.

The second offence alleged that on January, 24, 2009 at Tamakay Landing, being in lawful custody he escaped from Police Officer, Eugene Hunt.

He was represented by Attorney- at – Law James Bond, who told the Court that his client is gainfully employed at Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and is the sole breadwinner for his family.

He argued that it is clearly a case of mistaken identity since Cumberbatch was nowhere close to the death of the deceased. According to Bond, a police bulletin was not issued by the police and the accused is very frequent at the police station, since he is also a youth leader for a “Say no to drugs” campaign at Rasville.

Bon argued that bail be granted. Police Prosecutor, Seon Blackman objected to bail citing the nature of the offence and the punishment it attracts. He further added that Cumberbatch may pose as a flight risk, since he escaped from lawful custody two days after the incident.

He was arrested on December 31, 2013 in La Penitence where he was positively identified when he produced his identification card (ID) at a store.

Bail was refused and the father of two will return to Court on January 6.