THE Guyana Court of Appeal, on Tuesday, ordered a retrial for two men who were sentenced to 75 years in prison for the 2013 murder of Enterprise businessman, Kumar Mohabir.
Devon Thomas, 22, and Randy Isaacs, 26 had appealed their conviction and sentence, asking that they be overturned.

In 2015, they were found guilty by a 12-member jury for the February 23, 2013 murder of Mohabir. The sentence was handed down by Justice Navindra Singh at the Demerara High Court.
In their application for appeal which was filed by Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, the duo had contended that the trial judge erred in law when he imposed on them such an unduly severe sentence. Another ground was that the trial judge erred in law by usurping the discretion given to the Parole Board by stating, in his sentencing, when the appellants would be eligible for parole.

The appeal case was heard via Zoom by Chancellor (ag) of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud.
The Chancellor, while delivering the ruling, agreed with the men’s contention. She stated that their conviction and sentence will be set aside based on the evidence presented in the case.
Additionally, the matter has been sent back to the High Court for retrial at the next practical sitting of the Demerara Criminal Assizes.
According to reports, the Mohabir family members were enjoying the Mashramani festivities at Vlissengen Road when a gang of youths attacked Kumar Mohabir and killed him, under the pretext that he had “mashed” the feet of one of them.
Navindra Mohabir went to his brother’s rescue and was viciously attacked. He suffered five serious incised wounds to his right hand. The duo, who were known to the victim, were arrested after Navindra pointed them out during an identification parade.