Latest update April 14th, 2026 12:38 AM
AG suggests appeal in recent acquittal of trio charged with murder of elderly EBE couple
Kaieteur News – Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, SC believes that the necessary steps should be taken by the State to appeal the acquittal of the three men who were charged with the 2016 murder of an elderly Good Hope, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) couple.
Jason Howard called ‘Smelly’ and Shamudeen Mohamed, also known as ‘Milo’.
On Monday last, a High Court judge found three men not guilty of killing an elderly rice-farming couple, Mohamed Munir and his wife Jamilla.
Trial Judge Jo-Ann Barlow had directed the panel to submit formal not-guilty verdicts due to insufficient evidence for Joel Blair; Shamudeen Mohamed, also known as ‘Milo’; and Jason Howard, also known as ‘Smelly’ in relation to the murder of the Munirs.
However, Nandlall said the decision has caused disquiet among some sections of society.
“Many persons called and expressed their concern about this acquittal. It is hope that the Director of Public Prosecution will appeal this decision…,” he said, during a broadcast of ‘Issues in the News’ last Tuesday after the Court set the men free.
The AG noted that despite the acquittal, the law now allows for the State to appeal such matters.
He explained, “It is hoped that the case will be appealed because you can recall that a few years ago, this government amended the Court of Appeal Act to allow for the State to appeal against decisions made in the course of a criminal trial. Before that, only the accused had a right to appeal but while we were in government caused amendment for the prosecution to be given a right of appeal in criminal trials in the High Court in certain specified circumstances.”
“In my respectful view these circumstances qualify for that right of appeal to be exercise it hoped that the State will exercise that right to appeal,” Nandlall posited.
The couple was burnt to death during an arson attack on their Good Hope, EBE home.
The Former well-known rice farmers Munir, 75, and his wife 69, were locked in their bedroom when a break-in attempt was made on their heavily-grilled house on April 17, 2016. The elderly couple, who were reportedly asleep, was awakened by noises, and they were later ordered out of their bedroom by several males.
However, after the couple failed to comply with those orders, the perpetrators set a sofa in the home alight after tossing a fuel cylinder into the house, and that caused a huge explosion that set the house on fire, even as they made good their escape.
Attempts by neighbours to rescue the couple, who were heard and seen screaming for help from a grilled window of their home, proved futile.
Their charred remains were discovered together after the blaze was doused. Vital information led to the arrest of three men, who allegedly had set fire to the couple’s heavily grilled home with them inside after the couple refused to open their bedroom door. It was later reported that the men intended to steal the $20M that was rumored to be in there.
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