A former Lance Corporal in the Georgetown City Constabulary, Gregory Bascom was on Monday committed to stand trial at the High Court in Demerara for unlawfully killing a mentally-ill man back in 2018.
Following the conclusion of a Preliminary Inquiry (PI), Senior Magistrate Leron Daly ruled that sufficient evidence was provided by the prosecution to put Bascom on trial for manslaughter over the killing of Marlon Fredericks, which occurred on January 14, 2018, at Regent Road, Bourda, Georgetown.
According to the Guyana Police Force, the incident occurred around 13:15h outside the City Constabulary Outpost located on Regent Street, Georgetown.
Reports indicate that Fredericks, 34, was shot by the City Constabulary Lance Corporal as he was attempting to escape from the said Outpost where he was being detained on allegations of simple larceny and assault of a peace officer.
Inews understands that the dead man allegedly forced his way outside of the lock-ups when it was opened to let out another prisoner to use the toilet.
A struggle reportedly ensued between Fredericks and the Lance Corporal who tried to restrain him, and in the process the prisoner ran out of the Outpost and was fatally shot once in the lower back by the Lance Corporal, who was armed with a service pistol.
This publication was informed that Fredericks was shot in the presence of his mother, Claudette Fredericks.
A post-mortem examination confirmed that Fredericks was shot in the back. It also revealed that the bullet pierced the lungs and exited the left side of his neck.
Bascom, of Lot 340 West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown, was accused of using excessive force to detain the prisoner. Bascom, who remains on bail, will go on trial at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Assizes.
