LAST Wednesday has been one year since popular biker/businessman Kirk Davis was cut down in a hail of bullets just outside his home at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, following an argument with a friend.

Following the murder, a city businessman who was said to be a close friend of Davis, Randy Jagdeo, was charged for the crime but after several witnesses failed to show up to give evidence against him in court, he was freed.

Just after the incident, Jagdeo fled the jurisdiction to neighbouring Suriname where he went into hiding for several weeks but returned to Guyana and turned himself in accompanied by a lawyer.
After Jagdeo was freed of the murder charge against him, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) indicated that the case will be re-opened and charges will be reinstituted against Jagdeo.
When contacted on Tuesday, DPP Shalimar Ali-Hack was unavailable for a comment on the matter but a spokesperson said that they are not sure if the file was sent to the Guyana Police Force but they are working collaboratively.
That person could not provide an accurate account of the progress of the case.
It was reported that Davis was at home when he had a visitor who was outside his house and that person was later identified as Randy Jagdeo, a close friend who had arrived in a vehicle and there was a loud row over Jagdeo’s wife after which he was shot and killed.
During the incident, Jagdeo’s wife was shot and injured. She was hospitalised for some time.
When the incident happened Davis was not alone at home – there was another person who reported to the police what had transpired but recently he could not be located.
On March 21, 2014 businessman Jagdeo, 28, was freed from police custody after he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
All charges against Jagdeo, a Water Street businessman of Lot 159 Third Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown, were dropped. It was alleged that on September 3, 2013, the accused gunned down his well-known friend Kirk Davis outside of his Seventh Street, Eccles, East Bank Demerara home.
Prosecutor Bharat Mangru told the court that he will rely on the evidence before the court to prosecute the defendant. Additionally, Prosecutor Mangru lamented that the two lone witnesses continue to remain absent for the proceedings, despite being called to testify before the court.
During the final stages of the preliminary inquiry (PI), Attorney Robert Yearwood said that the prosecution has not been able to present the court with a prima facie case (sufficient evidence to prosecute Jagdeo). On those grounds the counsel requested that the case against Jagdeo be dismissed.
The Chief Magistrate then granted the counsel’s request to dismiss the case for lack of evidence on the prosecutor’s end.
An autopsy performed on Davis proved he was shot 16 times. Residents of the area had recalled seeing a silver-coloured Premio car pull up in front of Davis’ house. Davis entered the vehicle to speak to the occupants. It was also reported that the suspect shot Davis until there were no bullets in the gun. Davis, wounded and bleeding, was thrown out of the vehicle and the killer fled in the car. Davis was then picked up from his bridge and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he died. Davis was reportedly killed because the accused had reasons to believe the deceased and his wife were having an affair.
He also gave a written statement to the police in connection with the shooting and made contact with the relatives of the deceased, expressing remorse over what transpired.

(By Michel Outridge)