A 42-year-old resident of Ice House Road, Timehri, East Bank Demerara, was, on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, committed to stand trial at the Demerara High Court for the murder of his co-worker.

Phillip Solomon appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Magistrate Daly, having considered the prosecution’s evidence, stated that the court was of the opinion that a sufficient case had been made against Solomon.
Hence, he was committed to stand trial before a Judge and jury at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Assizes.

Solomon was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that, on October 24, 2018, at Timehri, East Bank Demerara, he murdered 51-year-old Vernon Cummings.
According to reports, Cummings and the defendant were known to each other, and worked as labourers on the Timehri wharf, where they would usually consume alcohol and get into arguments.

On the day in question, the men were drinking and had a misunderstanding which led to an argument and subsequently a scuffle. It is alleged that Cummings armed himself with a piece of iron and the defendant with a wooden paddle, and they began hitting each other.

The defendant’s brother, on being informed about the fight, rushed to the scene to make peace. It was after he (the brother) took away the iron from Cummings that the accused dealt Cummings a lash to his head, causing him to fall.

He was rushed to the Diamond Public Hospital where he died, while he was receiving treatment.