Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 14, 2014 News
Three years after being accused of gunning-down a Linden businessman during a robbery, Collis Collison yesterday walked out of the Georgetown Supreme Court a free man, after Madam Justice Dawn Gregory dismissed the murder charge instituted against him.
Collison was accused of killing Albert Joseph, called ‘Bolo,’ during a robbery at his store at Sunflower Street, Linden, between January 3 and 7, 2011.
The Better Hope, East Coast Demerara resident, was first arraigned before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on the murder charge. After a preliminary inquiry, he was later committed to stand High Court trial.
According to reports in the media, it was about 16:30 hours on January 3, 2011 that the businessman was sitting on a stool in his Sunflower Street General Store discussing the day’s sales with his daughter when Collison entered.
The accused, it was said, went into the shop under the pretence of being a customer but unexpectedly whipped out a gun, pointed it at Joseph and demanded that he hand over money and the chain he was wearing at the time.
The entrepreneur was shot in his left abdomen and the villain escaped. The injured man was rushed to the Mackenzie Hospital and was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he succumbed on January 7.
Collison was later charged. At his very first court appearance, the accused had told the court that he knew nothing about the charges leveled against him. He stated that he had been in prison.
According to Collison, he was placed on an identification parade and was pointed out by “a man.” He had told the court that “a woman” then failed to identify him, but after some time had elapsed he was pinpointed by her too.
The Prosecution, spearheaded by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Prosecutors, Attorneys-at-Law Natasha Backer and Mercedes Thompson, closed its case on Wednesday after taking evidence from a police witness.
Collison’s lawyer, Peter Hugh in his no-case submissions had raised questions about the identification parade, which he said was flawed. Hugh claimed that the identification evidence was unreliable.
Madam Justice Gregory had accepted the no-case submission and directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty in favour of the accused.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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