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Apr 22, 2011 News
Twenty-three year-old Guyana Defence Force Lance Corporal, Curt Belgrave, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday, to face a charge of manslaughter. The soldier allegedly shot and killed Venezuelan Jose Arturo Castilla Balcazar, called “Colombian” at Wenamu River in the vicinity of Eteringbang last Saturday.
Belgrave, who was unrepresented, made his appearance before Her Worship Hazel Octive-Hamilton.
The accused, clad in a white shirt and blue jeans, stood tranquilly in the prisoner’s dock while the charge was being read to him. Belgrave resides at Cemetery Road, Lodge, Georgetown.
Even though manslaughter is a bailable offence, Magistrate Octive-Hamilton denied the accused his pre-trial liberty. The matter was made returnable for June 20, at the Kamarang Magistrate’s Court.
Reports are that Balcazar, who operated a shop at Arrau, was shot dead while travelling in a boat with four other persons, one of whom was his wife, on the Guyana side of the border with Venezuela. According to Divisional Commander, David Ramnarine, the two soldiers who were detained with the accused have been released to army officials.
The surviving passengers, all Venezuelans, told investigators that they first heard two explosions, which were followed by another, after which Balcazar collapsed, with blood soaking his shirt.
They subsequently took the vessel to shore where they reported the matter to local police stationed in the area. “This was utter recklessness,” a source told this newspaper.
The weapons of all the ranks involved were seized by the police.
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