Release of video interview with suspect in ‘Sir Mars’s’ murder improper

May 25, 2023 News

– defence lawyer writes “Top Cop” to explain how it was leaked

Kaieteur News – Attorney Bernard Da Silva has written the Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken to explain why a video interview with the suspect in the murder of Kirwyn Mars was leaked to the media.

Attorney-at-Law, Bernard Da Silva

Da Silva is representing the suspect, Brian Richards in Court and pointed out to the police chief that the release of the video recorded interview is improper and violated his client’s right to a fair trial. The video in question purported that Richards allegedly admitted to killing Mars and was broadcast by an online media house on May 13, 2023 and shared multiple times across all social media platforms.

While noting that the custodian of the video interview is the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Da Silva wrote: “The said video is published without due process being observed;

Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken

and this ill-advised release will inevitably cast a dark shadow of prejudice in having a fair trial for the accused.”

The lawyer added: “while I contemplate judicial remedies; I wish to invite your response/ explanation as to the release of the said video interview to the public, before judicial pronouncement on its admissibility.”

Suspect in the murder of ‘Sir Mars’, Brian Richards

He informed Hicken that he has since informed the Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings-Edwards about his concerns that the release of the video is in violation of his client’s right to a fair trial, breaching Article 144 (1) of the 1980 constitution of Guyana. Da Silva said that he expects the Police Force to do everything necessary to have the video interview removed from all forms of circulation.

• Bernard Da Silva, Clifton Hickens, murder case, Sir Kirwyn Mars, Top Cop