A 12-person jury this afternoon returned a unanimous not guilty verdict in relation to Odel Roberts, who was charged with the May 2015 murder of Sophia shopkeeper, Shawn Anys. Roberts was on trial before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the High Court in Demerara.
Roberts, also known as ‘Gully Side,’ who is currently serving a three – year prison sentence for trafficking marijuana, had pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleged that he murdered Anys during the course of a robbery.
State Counsel Tiffini Lyken and Nafeeza Baig appeared for the prosecution, while Attorney-at-Law Damien DaSilva represented Roberts.
According to reports, Anys, who owned a small grocery shop at ‘D’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was confronted by armed bandits at his home. It was reported that the gunmen shot Anys while demanding cash and valuables from him.
They reportedly made off with $40,000 in cash, along with jewellery. The 37-year-old businessman was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
On December 03, 2019, another man, Jamal Forde, who was also charged with Any’s murder, was freed of the crime after Justice Sandil Kissoon upheld a no-case submission by his lawyers.
During the no-case submission, the lawyers pointed to several issues as it relates to the identification of their client. For one, they argued that the eyewitness, a young boy, could not give a description of the person who shot and killed Anys.
