Wensley Williams, also known as “Pooh Bear,” 43, was found guilty on Wednesday of the capital offence of murder in connection with his younger brother’s passing.
But the jury concluded that he was “insane” when he murdered his sibling.
Before Demerara High Court Judge Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, Williams, who once resided at Craig, East Bank Demerara (EBD), had been on trial for the May 2020 killing of Cleveland Hodge.
The judge has postponed the convict’s sentencing hearing until February 29, 2024, when she will hear from psychiatric and other social impact reports on him.
This prisoner is being held on remand in the interim.
Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd and Candaice Adams represented Williams, and the case was prosecuted by State Counsel Caressa Henry, Joy Williams, and Padma Dubraj.
The verdict was returned in accordance with section 177 of the Criminal Law (Procedure) Act which states: “If any accused person appears, either before or on arraignment, to be insane, the court may order a jury to be empanelled to try the sanity of the person, and the jury shall thereupon, after hearing evidence for that purpose, find whether he is or is not insane and unfit to take his trial; but a verdict under this section 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.”
Hodge, 39, also known as “Bruk Up”, a gold miner of Grove Squatting Area, EBD was stabbed by his brother on May 21, 2020, at Old Road, Craig, EBD and he died the next day.
The case facts detailed that on May 21, 2020, at around 15:10h, Hodge observed that Williams had a knife in his possession. He then approached the mentally challenged Williams intending to take the weapon away from him to prevent him from harming himself.
However, as he went closer, Williams slashed him once to his right elbow, then to his left elbow as he used his hands as a bar to protect himself. Williams then further slashed his sibling to his left shoulder and under his right arm. Public-spirited citizens came to Hodge’s assistance, and he was taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he was admitted, treated for his injuries, and sent away from the institution at around 19:00h the very day.
However, while at home, Hodge complained of feeling unwell due to the injuries. He was again rushed to the Diamond Hospital, where he was re-admitted, and then transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where subsequently died around 13:39h on May 22, 2020.
