The Guyana Defence Force on Tuesday announced that it has dismissed 23239 Private Shaqeil Grant with effect from May 1, 2017.

The 20-year-old soldier was on Monday charged with the murder of Sophia bread vendor,

Andre Alexander, who was gunned down during a robbery at his stall recently. Private Grant of Section ‘B’ Greater Georgetown appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court and was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

It’s alleged that Grant on May 5, at ‘C’ Field Sophia, murdered 42-year-old Alexander in the furtherance of a robbery.

Police Prosecutor, Ayesha Gibbon told the court that Alexander was a bread vendor and had a stand at ‘C’ Field Sophia.According to the facts,on May 5, at about 20:30hrs,Grant,along with another person,rode up to Alexander’s stand on a CG motorcycle, while being armed with a gun and shot the bread vendor to his chest. The men relieved the vendor of an undisclosed sum of cash and made good their escape.

Alexander was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he died while receiving treatment. Magistrate Ally-Seepaul remanded the unrepresented man until June 8, 2017.