REGAN Rodrigues, also known as ‘Grey Boy’ refused to leave the prisoner’s outpost of the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to appear before Magistrate Judy Latchman, as he vehemently claimed his innocence in the murder of political activist, Courtney Crum-Ewing.

Ranks of the Guyana Police Force on Friday located and arrested Rodrigues, weeks after looking for him. Police confirmed that Rodrigues was caught at approximately 16:15hrs on Friday in a house in Middle Road, La Penitence Georgetown.

However, when it was time for Rodrigues to make his appearance before Magistrate Latchman, the accused refused to leave the prisoner’s outpost and protested his innocence.

He was overheard shouting, “They try to frame me and put a gun inside meh house but is nah I do it, I ain’t kill the man.” Rodrigues appeared to be reading from a piece of paper as he claimed his innocence and levelled damning accusations against several politicians. However, police ranks confiscated the paper but eventually returned it to Rodrigues.

Following his refusal to enter the courtroom, Magistrate Latchman decided to visit Rodrigues in the prisoner’s holding area, where she informed him that the matter was adjourned to April 25, 2017 and that he [Rodrigues] was remanded to prison.

In September 2016, Rodrigues was freed of the murder charge by Magistrate Latchman due to the lack of evidence. The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided to re-open the case for further evidence from police witnesses and for the Magistrate to rule on the oral statements made by Rodrigues. Well known attorney Nigel Hughes has been appointed as a Special Prosecutor by the DPP to prosecute the case.

The bullet-riddled body of Crum-Ewing was found at Third Avenue, Diamond New Scheme EBD days before the May 11, 2015 elections. The 40-year-old was shot twice to the temple, once to the back of the head and twice to the stomach.
The police in a statement had stated that the political activist was accosted by four men in a car, one of whom discharged several rounds, hitting him about the body. It was reported that the killer (s) used a .32 pistol to execute Crum-Ewing.

The political activist was well known for his one-man protest outside the office of former Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall. Minutes before he was gunned down, he was reportedly heard via bullhorn urging residents of the neighbourhood to vote against the then ruling PPP/C party.