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Oct 09, 2019 News
As the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) continues into the murder of Godfrey Scipio, known as “Sagga”, who was shot dead on October 12, 2017, one of the accused claimed that the prosecution is yet to identify how many witnesses he will be calling after 22 months.
The accused are Aubrey Bobb, Derwin Eastman and Jemison Williams. The (PI) is currently being conducted by Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Police Prosecutor Dominic Bess is representing the state in the matter.
Detective Superintendent of Police, Gary McAllister, was the recent witness to be called to testify in relation to the matter. His evidence to the court was based on placing Eastman under close arrest after receiving instructions and relieving the accused of his service weapon.
At the time of the testimony, the witness did not have the weapon to identify it before the court and therefore an adjournment was asked for by the prosecutor to have the weapon brought to the court.
However, Eastman pleaded with the magistrate to have the prosecution speed up its witnesses since they seem to be stalling in their case.
He added that it has been 22 months since he was placed on remand for the offence and the prosecution is yet to give a number of witnesses to be called.
He continued by saying his family is being threatened by certain individuals and he is also at risk as he continues to give evidence against persons who are in prison.
The matter was adjourned until Friday where the prosecutor was asked to make special efforts to be ready on that day.
Bobb was the first person to be charged with Scipio’s murder. He subsequently implicated former Police Corporal Derwin Eastman and his colleague, Constable Jemison Williams. They are currently on remand for the capital offence.
Bobb was committed to stand a High Court trial February last, for the murder by Senior Magistrate Leron Daly after she found sufficient evidence against him for a conviction in relation to the matter.
The three men were not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stated that on October 12, 2017, at David Street, Kitty, Georgetown, they murdered Scipio.
According to reports, Bobb alleged that Eastman is the mastermind behind Sagga’s murder, since he allegedly provided the weapon.
It was reported that Scipio, of D’Urban Street, Wortmanville, was shot in the chest as he was leaving a city hotel. He succumbed at the Woodlands Hospital.
Police had reported that Bobb was nabbed at his William Street, Kitty, Georgetown home, which is located a few buildings from where the killing occurred. Kaieteur News understands that CCTV footage of the attack helped investigators to identify and track him down.
Reports are that the murder accused told detectives that he was in the area, and saw Scipio, who was wearing a gold chain, enter the hotel. At the time, Bobb claimed he was armed with an ice-pick, but later decided that a gun would be more effective.
It was also reported that when Scipio exited the hotel, the murder accused relieved the businessman of a gold chain and shot him.
Scipio had been selling at the Berbice car park for several years, and was known for wearing lots of gold jewellery.
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