By George Barclay

LAKERAJ Frederick who was facing a murder charge over the shooting of Clifton Bonus, called ‘Mutts’, is set to face a third trial in the High Court after the second trial ended yesterday in another hung jury.Presiding judge at the Demerara Assizes, Mr. James Bovell Drakes had no other alternative but to remand the accused to prison and order that he faces yet another retrial at the next criminal session.
At both trials the defence and prosecution lawyers had urged the jury to pay attention to the evidence and give a verdict in accordance with the oath they had taken.
But at yesterday’s retrial after the jury had deliberated for over two hours, the foreman reported that there were in disagreement in relation to the verdict in the proportion of ten to two. The judge was told that further directions would not be helpful.
According to the prosecution’s case, the shooting that caused the death of ‘Mutts’ was due to a quarrel between both men over marijuana plants at Old England, Upper Demerara River. The partly decomposed body of the victim was found in a shallow grave on June 3, 2011 with gunshot injuries to the head.
Defence lawyers Lawrence Harris and Hewly Griffith had asked the jury to find that the alleged confession by the Linden resident was a concoction by the police in an effort to prove their case.
State counsel Siand Dhurjon had told the jury in his address that “In the interest of the accused is that you cannot convict him unless you are satisfied so that you feel sure that he is guilty. The interest of the State is the security of the nation, it is the justice of victims and the apprehension of criminals.”
According to a legal opinion, it is believed that in the event that the trial ends in yet another hung jury the accused would be freed by the Director of Public Prosecutions.