The primary suspect in the murder of Courtney Crum-Ewing was on Monday sentenced to three years in prison by Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on a charge of escaping lawful custody, while he was found not guilty of a charge of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
Regan Rodrigues, called ‘Grey Boy’, age 37, of Riverview Squatting Area, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, on Monday received the ruling for two charges against him. The first being that on July 12, 2015 at Riverview, East Ruimveldt , he was found in possession of a Taurus Pistol and 14 live rounds of matching ammunition while he was not the holder of a firearm licence. The second charge is that, pending the investigation of unlawful possession of the firearm charge against him, he escaped lawful custody.
The gun and ammunition were allegedly unearthed by police when they conducted a search of Rodrigues’ Riverview, Ruimveldt home. The defendant allegedly fled during the search, but subsequently turned himself in to the police a day later. According to reports, the pistol was tested and has tested as a positive match to the one used in Crum-Ewing’s murder.
Attorney Adrian Thompson, who represented the defendant, argued that the Prosecution had failed to prove its case against Rodrigues beyond a reasonable doubt. Thompson, in his defence, alleged that the prosecution had failed to prove to the court that the defendant was present at the premises when the police had allegedly searched his house and found the firearm and ammunition.
Rodrigues, in his initial statement to the Court stated that officers were trying to set him up as they are always trying to pin a charge on him. He said he is rarely in Guyana and would only come here to check on his primary school-age younger brother whom he takes care of. His attorney also argued that his client was not present at the time of the search and the house had multiple occupants. However, the defence had failed to prove the alibi. Despite this, the Magistrate in her ruling stated that the prosecution failed to prove that the defendant had knowledge of the pistol and ammunition. Magistrate Azore related to the fact that the house is a case of multiple occupancy, and the fact that the gun and ammunition were found hidden under a chair and not in the defendant’s bedroom.
