…woman tells Eastman: “your judgment coming and it won’t be nice

Two serving members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were on Thursday charged jointly with the murder of 64-year-old Godfrey Scipio called ‘Sagga’ a popular D’Urban Street, Georgetown businessman, who was killed in October outside of a city hotel.

Former ‘Best Cop’ Detective Corporal Derwin Eastman and Constable Jameson Williams, both attached to the Brickdam Police Station, appeared before City Magistrate Judy Latchman for the capital offence. The indictment alleged that the duo on October 12, at Sandy Place Kitty, murdered Scipio during the course of a robbery.

The allegation levelled against the cops stems from Aubrey Bobb, who is also charged and on remand for Scipio’s murder. Ranks from the police Major Crime Unit were able to arrest the two cops days after the alleged trigger man, Bobb, was placed on remand. Bobb is reported to have claimed that Eastman is the mastermind behind the businessman’s murder, and that he (Eastman) also went as far as to providing him (Bobb) with the gun to do the hit.

Attorney-at-law, Nigel Hughes in association with Eusi Anderson represented Eastman while Williams was represented by attorney, Dexter Todd. The attorneys asked the court to ensure their clients’ safety and security while on remand at the Lusignan Prison, as they expressed concerns about the policemen being placed among the general population who might hold grudges against them. The magistrate, nevertheless, remanded the duo until December 5 and transferred the matter to the Chief Magistrate’s Court.

Meanwhile, there was high drama at the courthouse with Eastman’s relatives declaring that the policeman is innocent. His aunt and sister wept bitterly as the murder charge against him was being read in court. However, Williams’ mother accused Eastman of wrongfully involving her son in his ‘nastiness’. “Don’t worry with you…your judgment coming and it won’t be nice,” the woman declared, as Eastman was being taken into the court room.
The courtyard was crowded with spectators as news of the men being charged spread. “Jail Eastman! A lot of innocent people in prison because of him…From best cop to bad cop,” a man shouted at Eastman.

According to information received, police managed to arrest Bobb a day after the shooting, and after reviewing the CCTV footage attached to the Kitty hotel where Scipio was shot and robbed. The gold jewellery that was reportedly stolen from Scipio, during the robbery, has not been recovered.

Scipio was shot once, just after being attacked and robbed allegedly by Bobb outside of a Kitty hotel. He was reportedly leaving the hotel in the company of a female friend, and was about to enter his car which was parked in front of the building when he was accosted by Bobb. According to the Police, investigations revealed that the suspect “discharged a round hitting Scipio in the abdomen, relieved him of his jewellery and escaped on foot in a northern direction.”

Scipio was rushed to a private city hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Reports indicate that the true motive for the killing of the popular businessman appears to be an execution instead of a robbery, as investigators discovered it may be linked to the recapture of notorious prison escapee, Mark Royden Durant, also known as Royden Williams and `Smallie’. Scipio was a popular vendor at the Berbice bus park and the prison escapee was caught in a minibus at Weldaad, West Coast Berbice, on October 9 after joining a minibus at the Berbice bus park.

Eastman who turned himself in at CID Headquarters, Eve Leary, last week and that same posted on his Facebook page, “Good Day all, God is in charge, all will be well, I am innocent of the allegation.”