FIVE months after a 24-year-old man was sentenced to a total of 14 years’ imprisonment on a series of charges, he was, on Wednesday, October, 16, 2019, committed to stand trial for the murder of an East Bank Demerara man, who was shot during a robbery in 2017.
Anthony Chester, called ‘Sharky’, of 236 Section C, Block Y, Diamond Housing Scheme, was on trial before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

It was alleged that, on December 20, 2017, at Craig, East Bank Demerara, Chester murdered Purcell Moore, a resident of the village, during a robbery.
Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus ruled that, after going through the entirety of the evidence, she found sufficient evidence against Chester.

Hence, Chester will go on trial at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Assizes.
According to statements presented in court, Moore was returning home from a shop when Chester, who was armed with a handgun, confronted him. An argument reportedly ‘erupted’ between the men.

This escalated into a scuffle, during which several rounds were discharged at Moore. He was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Last May, Magistrate Rondel Weever sentenced Chester to a total of 14 years and six months behind bars after finding him guilty of a series of offences, including armed robbery, possession of an illegal gun and ammunition, and discharging a loaded firearm.
It was alleged that, on January 6, 2019, at Conciliation Drive, Tucville, Georgetown, while being in the company of another and being armed with an unlicensed gun, Chester robbed Bowen Cromwell of $512,600 in cash and jewellery.

It was further alleged that, on the same date and at the same location, he damaged two car parts, valued at a total of $85,000, property of Cromwell.
Chester was also charged with discharging a loaded firearm with the intent to wound Cromwell, having a pistol in his possession without being the holder of a firearm licence, and being in possession of unlicensed ammunition.
He had denied all the charges.

Magistrate Weever, at the end of the trial, ruled that the prosecutor throughout the trial presented sufficient evidence to convict Chester for the offences.
Hence, she sentenced him to a total of 14 years and six months for the five offences. The sentences will run concurrently.