TEENAGERS Kevin Washington and Dennecia Halley, were found not guilty on Friday afternoon after Justice Navindra Singh directed the 12-member jury to return a formal not-guilty verdict, citing insufficient evidence in the 2013 murder of Antonio Isles at Pike Street, Kitty.The duo was visibly happy and relieved as they reunited with relatives at the High Court. Justice Singh explained that the police did poor investigation in the matter and asked the duo if they knew what happened because he does not know.

As such, Justice Singh said, “Think three times before you do something,” after which the men were set free. When the shackles were removed from Washington’s feet, he sprinted into the arms of his relatives, who were crying and hugging him in the court room.

Even before Halley exited the prisoner’s box, her mother, who was present in the visitor’s galley kneeled down and said her prayers. As the duo exited the court room, they were repeatedly hugged by their relatives, who shed tears of joy as they walked off.

During the trial, government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh testified and gave the cause of death as cerebral haemorrhage as a result of blunt cranial trauma. Another witness Kelvin De Peazer also testified and was crossed-examined by defence counsel when he admitted that he did not see anyone beating Isles.

He told the court that when he reached the scene the group of children had dispersed and only the two accused were left standing there while Isles was on the ground. The State prosecutors were Michael Shahoud and Orinthia Schmidt, while the defence counsel are Peter Hugh and Dexter Todd.

Isles, 40, of Lot 248 Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was allegedly beaten by a group of persons at Pike Street on March 1, 2013.
The seaman was admitted to the GPHC and later succumbed to his injuries.

It is alleged that between March 1 and 3, 2013, a group beat Isles to death after he had exited a shop at Pike Street, Kitty, at about 8:30 pm.