‘Snakehead’ gets eight-year prison term for killing reputed wife

Stabroek News – April 22, 2008

Justice Dawn Gregory-Barnes yesterday sentenced a Bagos-town man to eight years imprisonment in the High Court for killing his reputed wife during a domestic spat four years ago.

Anthony Cyrus called “Snakehead” was indicted on the capital offence but he opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter on the opening day of the April assizes, and the prosecution accepted the plea.

Cyrus killed Melanie Hinds during a heated argument on the night of March 21, 2004 at their Bagostown, East Bank Demerara home. He claimed provocation in addition to stating that he had also been wounded during the fight.

In a lengthy plea of mitigation at the sentencing yesterday, Cyrus’s lawyer, Glen Hanoman told the court that his client had been cooperative with the police from the onset and that he made a report at the station. He said Cyrus’s actions were the culmination of a series of provocative acts by his now dead reputed wife.  

Relatives of murdered Good Hope woman hurt that trio freed of charges

Stabroek News – April 22, 2008

Relatives and friends of Radika Singh, who was brutally murdered in Bare Root, East Coast Demerara (ECD) last April by residents who thought she was an `Old Higue’ are deeply hurt that no one is to be punished for her death.

Three people had been charged with Singh’s murder and on Friday, Rayon Bobb, 28, a cane cutter; Aletha Roberts, 25, of Bare Root; and Ronald Spencer, a 41-year-old contractor of Haslington, walked out of the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court after Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs upheld the no-case submissions presented by their lawyers and discharged them.

Singh’s relatives said yesterday that God was the one in charge and if the trio did play a part in the crime, they would eventually be punished. Stabroek News was told that the prosecution’s star witness in the case had not been attending court.

The trio was charged on May 2, 2007, four days after the bizarre incident and since then the police were unable to find their main witness who had implicated the three in the crime.  

Accused rapist threatens magistrate after High Court committal

Kaieteur News – April 19, 2008

A 25-year-old man made threatening remarks to Magistrate Fazil Azeez last week after he was committed to stand trial for rape.

Kenroy Fraser, of Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, was charged with having carnal knowledge of a girl under 15 years of age. The incident was alleged to have been committed between October 31, 2006 and December 1, 2006 at Swan Street, Pouderoyen.

The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) was conducted at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court. After finding that a sufficient case was made out, Magistrate Azeez informed Fraser that he will face a judge and jury at the next sitting of the Demerara Criminal Sessions.

After the decision, Fraser who stood unrepresented, began uttering abusive remarks and threatened to harm the magistrate. He was hastily removed from the courtroom but resorted to a barrage of expletive-laden expressions to vent his feelings.

Driver accused of murdering mother of his two children

Stabroek News – April 10, 2008

A 31-year-old taxi driver who allegedly murdered the mother of his two children was taken before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Haslyn Hodge, also known as ‘Troy’ or ‘Kite’ of Lot 43 Prospect, East Bank Deme-rara (EBD) was not required to plead to the capital offence of murder when it was read to him by Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle.

It is alleged that on April 4 at Kaneville, EBD, Hodge murdered the mother of his two children, Tamasha Riddle.

Hodge was remanded to prison and the matter has been transferred to Court Six for April 30.

Riddle’s body was found by a close neighbour Judy McCalmon. The dead woman’s face was in a pillow case when she was discovered but there were no telltale signs of a struggle nor were there any marks of violence on her body.

According to a police press release on Monday, a post-mortem examination was conducted on the body of Riddle by Dr. Nehaul Singh. The cause of death was given as asphyxiation due to compression injury; possible suffocation compounded by multiple blunt trauma.

‘Snakehead’ to be sentenced for killing wife

Stabroek News – April 5, 2008

A Bagotstown man who killed his reputed wife during a domestic spat back in 2004 pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the High Court earlier this week and will be sentenced in another two weeks.

Anthony Cyrus called `Snakehead’ was indicted on the capital offence before Justice Dawn Gregory-Barnes following the opening of the April assizes for the murder of Melanie Hinds on March 21, 2004 but he opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

State counsel Dionne McCammon accepted the plea but sentencing was deferred after a probation report was requested. Cyrus killed Hinds on the day in question and later attempted to burn her blood-soaked clothes.

The two had a relationship plagued by domestic spats. They were arguing on the night she died.

Tailor attempted to poison teenaged ex-lover

-court hears
Stabroek News – April 2, 2008

A 31-year-old tailor accused of attempting to kill a 15-year-old girl with whom he had a relationship and then attempting to commit suicide was granted bail when he appeared at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Noel Persaud called ‘Ears Man’ of Lot 40 Independence Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and attempting to commit suicide and was granted bail in the sum of $100,000 by Magistrate Fazil Azeez.

It is alleged that on March 19 at La Grange, with intent to commit murder, he attempted to administer a poisonous substance to the 15-year-old girl. It is also alleged that on the same day, he attempted to commit suicide.

Reports are that the defendant and the virtual complainant had been engaged in a relationship but the intervention of the Probation and Welfare Department last year saw Persaud being warned to keep away from the girl and to end the relationship. He complied but last month reportedly received information that the girl was engaged in a new relationship.