– court grants request for psychiatric evaluation

EARLY Friday morning, interdicted army Captain Orwain Sandy walked through the gates of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court handcuffed and crying uncontrollably as he made his appearance to face the murder charge of allegedly killing his reputed wife during a heated argument last week.

Sandy, 36, of Section ‘C’ Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara, who served as Special Assistant to the Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman and was not required to plead to the capital offence.
The army captain broke down in tears as the magistrate read the charge to him that on Saturday, March 31 at First Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown, he murdered Reona Payne.

Attorney James Bond disclosed to the court that Sandy had been a psychiatric patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital for the past two years. He made an application for the defendant to be subjected to a psychiatrist’s examination while on remand.
Bond added that an independent psychiatrist will be provided to attend to Sandy. The magistrate granted the lawyer’s application and remanded Sandy to prison until April 24.
The courtroom was filled with the families and coworkers of Sandy and also relatives of the dead woman, including her ex-husband and their three children.
According to reports, Sandy after committing the act, surrendered to police at the Ruimveldt Police Station on Saturday, March 31. A post-mortem report revealed that Payne died from 14 gunshot wounds to her body– 13 to her chest and one to the head.
The police have confirmed that Sandy used his service firearm during the shooting. Police sources also related that the soldier had on one occasion lodged his firearm at the police station during a domestic dispute.
One source said the soldier had suspected that Reona Payne was being unfaithful and was conversing with someone from overseas. It was reported that on Saturday, Sandy had planned to drop Payne off at her place of work when she received a phone call from the same person from overseas.
When the soldier questioned her and asked her to desist from railroading their relationship, an argument ensued and in the vicinity of the masjid in First Street, Alexander Village, Reona grabbed the soldier’s firearm and threw it out of the car.
According to the source, Sandy stopped the vehicle to retrieve the weapon and Payne exited too, and after picking up the gun he fired in her direction, emptying the entire magazine.
The Chief-of-Staff has ordered the Inspector-General of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to conduct a Board of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The GDF sought to assure Guyanese that Sandy’s action does not mirror the behaviour of other soldiers.