AARON Hing, 25, and Stamon George, 26, of Kildonan, Region Six were on Friday committed to stand trial in the High Court for the murder of British teen Dominic Bernard.

Jameel Sinclair, Crystal Thomas and Symphony Henry were also committed to stand trial for being accessories to the murder after a prima facie case was made out against the five on Friday.

Magistrate Charlyn Artiga stated that the caution statements from Hing and George were free and voluntarily given and will be admissible to be used as evidence as were the caution statements from the three others accused since it was also found to be given voluntarily and no time elapsed.

The five persons were individually asked by the magistrate if they wished to call any witness/s or whether they would like to say anything to which Hing, George, Sinclair and Thomas responded in the negative.

Henry stated that she has no knowledge of the murder. The accused were represented by Attorney Asa Stuart Shepherd.

Hing and George were initially charged with the murder of Bernard in January 2016. The charge stated on October 14, 2015 at Kildonan Village, Hing, along with George murdered Bernard. Additionally, while in police custody, the two allegedly admitted to killing the teen.

While Thomas, Sinclair and Henry were jointly charged on February 1, 2016 and were subsequently granted bail. They were accused of hiding Bernard’s equipment.

Meanwhile, the mother of the dead teen Linda Bernard, 54, who travelled from
London for the hearing, sat silently in the courtroom as she looked at the accused.

As the hearing continued, tears trickled down her face as she struggled to contain her emotions.

The number one accused Aaron Hing, sat meters away from her and was once considered part of the family.

“Relieved” was the word used to describe the feelings of Mrs. Bernard at the conclusion of the hearing.

“This is a big step; it’s a step forward for justice for my son and it’s massive.
I am just so pleased with the outcome. We will all breathe a sigh of relief that the matter is going to the High Court and you know what, God is in control. He is in control,” she said.

Mrs. Bernard told the Guyana Chronicle that over the years, her faith was able to sustain her in coping with the loss of her only son.

“It’s been really difficult but my faith has been able to help me. It has cushion and surrounded me. There was no way that we could have known to be sure of what the judge was going to rule. I am feeling so many emotions,” the mother related.

Dominic Bernard, 18, departed the UK on October 14, 2015 for his first trip to Guyana where he was hoping to connect with heritage. After family members did not hear from him, his father subsequently travelled to Guyana to seek answers regarding his whereabouts but was unsuccessful.

On January 8, 2016, the badly decomposed body believed to be that of the teen was found in a shallow grave in the backlands of Nurney Village. A DNA sample taken from the body was tested against Dominic’s father, Andrew Bernard, and the results concluded in a match.