Duo plead not guilty to Greenwich Park 2016 New Year’s murder
Updated: May 27, 2022
The two men accused of murdering Dewaun Baksh of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), on New Year’s 2016 have pleaded not guilty to the crime.
Rocky Lallu and Somar Shako were arraigned before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court, where a 12-member mixed jury was empanelled.
Presenting the murder indictment against the two accused were Prosecutors Latifah Elliott and Marisa Edwards. Lallu was represented by Attorney-at-Law Ravindra Mohabir, while Shako was led by Attorney-at-Law Konyo Sandiford.
Reports are that on January 1, 2016, at Greenwich Park, EBE, at about 21:30h, Baksh was picked up and rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The young man, who had returned to Guyana after five years to celebrate Christmas with his family, left home in the company of two of his brothers to celebrate the New Year.
They reportedly left home at about 17:40h to visit Bushy Park, Parika, but subsequently went to Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara (WCD), and then to a popular shop in Greenwich Park.
However, while there, Rafeek Baksh, the youngest of the three brothers, recognised a man who reportedly had a relationship with his sister some years ago. The man was with a group of men.
Rafeek reportedly approached and asked the man if he remembered him, to which the man answered “no.”
One of the men from the group misinterpreted what was asked and proceeded to use abusive language toward Rafeek.
Dewaun went to his brother's rescue, and as they were about to walk away, they were attacked by a group of men with glass bottles.
One of the men broke a glass bottle and stabbed Dewaun about his body during the ordeal.
Dhanraj Goberdhan and Abdool Hussain were also charged with the crime.
