East La Penitence man charged with murder over cigarette brawl

Sep 20, 2018 News

Chaos erupted yesterday in courtroom of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan courtroom, when an East La Penitence man appeared and was charged with murdering another following a brawl over a pack of cigarettes.
Twenty-year-old Matthew Parks, of Lot 214 Freeman Street, East La Penitence, is accused of murdering 23-year-old Roger Allen, a Guyana Water Inc (GWI) employee.
The incident occurred on September 13, last at Durban and Chapel Streets, Lodge.
An unrepresented Parks was not required to plead to the indictable charge after it was read to him by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Upon hearing the charge being read, Allen’s relatives, who were seated in the courtroom, began shouting, “Why you kill him?”
The court orderly eventually asked some of the relatives, some of whom were crying, to exit the courtroom.
Police Prosecutor, Cheryl Layne in addressing the court asked the court for three weeks to complete the file.
After remanding him, the Chief Magistrate instructed the accused to make his next court appearance on October 10.
According to reports, on the day in question about 17:00 hrs, Allen visited a minimart located on D’Urban Street where the defendant operates his father business.
It was reported that Allen went to purchase a packet of cigarette and it was then that he and the defendant got into an argument and the security guard at the establishment asked Allen to leave the premises.
According to the police release, at about 17:00 hrs Parks exited his work place and was confronted by Allen who was armed with a piece of wood and a knife.
This two got into a scuffle during which Allen was stabbed.
Both men were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where Allen died while undergoing surgery.
Parks was treated for minor injuries and released in police custody.