Cuyuni boating mishap Court Martial…
Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Second Lieutenant, Duane Rigby, who a military court on Tuesday afternoon convicted on one of four counts of disobedience to Standing Orders, that of being out of barracks beyond 18:00 hrs, has been “dishonourably discharged” from the Guyana Force.

The sentence of dismissal was confirmed yesterday by the officer who convened the Court martial, according to a release from the GDF.

The young Army officer was court-martialed following a late December 8, 2008 boating mishap with a civilian vessel on the Cuyuni River, near the Venezuelan border, and which claimed the lives of two soldiers, Corporal 19012 Wesley Hopkinson and Private 20523 Colwin Harris.

Rigby, at the time of the incident, was Officer-in–Charge of the Eteringbang border location where they were stationed.

Presiding over the military trial was Major Lawrence Fraser sitting as President and with retired High Court Judge Winston Moore as Judge Advocate, and five panelists with the ranks of Captain and Coast Guard Lieutenant.

The GDF’s case was presented by Attorney-at-law Melissa Yearwood-Stewart while the defence was led by Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, in association with attorneys, retired Colonel Gregory Gaskin and Ms Tanya Warren.
(Wendella Davidson)