Twenty-eight-year-old Roy Gladstone of Sand Hills, Berbice River, was, on Monday, charged with the killing of fellow villager, Elvis Benedict Francis, between June 18 and 19 this year.
Gladstone, unrepresented by counsel, was not required to plead to the charge when it was read to him by Magistrate Peter Hugh at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court.

The case has been adjourned to Thursday, June 27, when it is expected that Gladstone would be represented by counsel. According to reports, on Tuesday 18 last, there was an altercation, which stemmed from an old grievance. Consequently, Francis armed himself with cutlasses and went to the home of the suspect. It was observed that the exterior of Gladstone’s home was damaged with what is suspected to be cutlass markings.

Gladstone’s wife Doisha Stephen had told Guyana Chronicle that her husband, in an effort to protect her and their three children, had pelted the now deceased with a bat. However, a post mortem report had revealed there were deep lacerated wounds to the lower and center of his (Francis’) back, left hand, upper left jaw, along with scratches and bruises about the body. The cause of death was recorded as shock and haemorrhage, along with multiple wounds.