– time in pre-trial custody to be deducted

ORIN Arthur on Tuesday confessed that he killed Sterling Products Security Officer, Wilfred Stewart and Guyana Geology and Mines (GGMC) engineer Trevor Abrams, and was sentence to 14 years imprisonment.

Arthur, who was on remand for the last five years, appeared before Justice Navindra Singh at the Demerara High Court on two counts of murder, but opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

The 32-year-old confessed that on December 24, 2014, at Providence, East bank Demerara, during the course of or after a robbery, he unlawfully killed Stewart.

He also confessed that on February 26, 2015, at Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), he unlawfully killed Abrams.

Additionally, he admitted that on March 27, 2015, at Diamond, EBD, he had 17 live rounds of .233 ammunition, and 12 live rounds of .32 ammunition, along with a .32 pistol in his possession without being the holder of a firearm licence.

The State was represented by Prosecutor Tyra Bakker, while Arthur was represented by Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd.

In a plea of mitigation, Todd told the court that his client is the father of three and a former policeman.
According to Todd, his client found himself on the wrong side of the law by following “bad company”, and was also the getaway driver in the murders.

During the Zoom hearing, Arthur said, “I should have known better, but I was young, dumb and participated in those crimes.”

After considering the case, Justice Singh sentenced Arthur to serve 14 years on each charge, and three on the two firearm-related offences.

The sentencing will run concurrently, and Justice Singh has ordered that the prison authorities deduct the time Arthur would have spent in pre-trial custody from the sentence.
According to the State’s case, on February 26, 2015, Abrams was traced from his home at Samatta Point, Grove, EBD, in a motorcar being driven by Arthur and used to transport two armed men. The men were reportedly paid $5M to execute Abrams.

Abrams was riddled with bullets at Little Diamond, after the heavily-armed men ambushed him and opened fire on his vehicle.

Arthur was jointly charged with Rayon Paddy, Steven Prescott, called ‘Assassin’, and Uree Varswyck for the murder.
However, in 2016, Paddy died during a riot at the Camp Street Prison, while Varswyck was killed by the police after escaping from prison in 2017. Prescott is currently on remand awaiting trial at the High Court.
Meanwhile, on December 24, 2014, Stewart, of Graham’s Hall, East Coast Demerara was on duty when a gang stormed the SPL complex at Providence. After fatally shooting Stewart, the invading bandits made their way to the Accounts Department where they met a locked safe. They then decided to abort the robbery and flee the compound.