TREVOR Williams of Kamwatta River, North West District, appeared yesterday before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry to answer a charge that he murdered Randy Raphael at Bruck-up Landing, North West District on Thursday, April 4 last. Prosecuting, police sergeant, Seon Blackman said the accused and the victim were known to each other, and on the day in question, they were consuming alcohol in a building at Bruck-up Landing when a misunderstanding arose between the parties, whereupon the defendant got annoyed and used his shotgun to shoot the victim in his head. He then escaped, but was later apprehended by the police.

Attorney-at-law Hukumchand, representing the 20-year-old defendant, told the court that his facts are different from those related by the prosecution. He explained that his client was playing with the weapon he had found, and in the process of stripping the hand gun, a shot was discharged.

He requested that the file be brought before the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice, along with the latter’s initial report.

The defendant was refused bail, and was remanded to prison, while the case has been transferred to the Mabaruma Magistrate’s Court for May 21.