HILLARY Edwards known as “Country” was sentenced to 27 years imprisonment for the horrific murder of Leonard Calvin Archibald, 13, whose badly decomposed body was found afloat in the Berbice River, days after he was last seen riding his bicycle along the East Bank Berbice roadway.
Probation and Welfare Officer, Maisie Sheppard, in her report had narrated acts of sexual molestation allegedly committed on several males residing within the Sisters-Brothers catchment areas. Further mention was made against parents of the accused, who reportedly would offer compensation to victims whenever reports were made against their son. There were also reports of injuries to the bodies of the alleged victims. Prosecutrix, Tuanna Hardy, had noted that the probation report was unchallenged and she reminded the court that the community had suffered due to multiple reports of luring of boys for sexual intercourse.

“Leonard Archibald was killed in his own community. He was riding his bike when he disappeared…. He [Edwards] betrayed the trust of his paternal cousin. He took Leonard to a house and “b……d’ him until he became lifeless…. He (Edwards) needs rehabilitation… need a sentence to deter him and others who prey on children. We must protect our children. The sentence must reflect the nature and gravity of the offence,” she posited.
In his victim-impact statement, Orin Archibald, the eldest sibling of the deceased, expressed satisfaction with the community report. However, the family remains saddened over the gruesome death of their young relative who was a loving and respectable child, whose aspiraton was to become a teacher.

Archibald’s mother Abigail, said her son’s death cannot be forgotten, not only because of the manner in which it was done, but because it occurred on her husband’s birthday. The family had planned a celebratory dinner and was waiting on Leonard to join them. He never came home.
In his statement, Hilary Edwards maintained his innocence while telling the judge that he was shocked at the jury’s verdict.
In handing down her sentence, Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall, having considered the circumstances, the offence of murder, and that not only was the life of a 13-year-old snuffed out, but the violation of the body continued as it was left to the ocean and scavengers..

NO REMORSE
She noted that there was no remorse by the accused, neither did he accept responsibility during his address to the court.
Further, the judge noted that while the probation report highlighted several allegations of inappropriate conduct and larceny by the accused, he was never charged nor convicted.
‘I discern no mitigation [sic] circumstances. He is a first offender. No previous conviction…. I impose a life sentence with a possible parole after he would have served a minimum of 27 years, before he is eligible for parole. I have ordered that he receive counselling on a quarterly basis during his period of incarceration, the judge said.
A mixed jury, after deliberating for just under three hours, returned an unanimous verdict last month convicting Edwards of the gruesome death of Archibald.
The defence counsel was Surihya Sabsook.

The partial skeletal remains of Archibald was discovered off the river bank at Korthberaadt Village, East Bank Berbice, six days after he was reported missing on September 17, 2017.
The body of Archibald was pulled from the bank of the Berbice River just before 16:00hrs on Saturday, September 23, 2017, after it was spotted on the river bank, among the mangrove trees in the vicinity of Korthberaadt Village, East Bank Berbice.
The lad was last seen by relatives after he rode ahead of three of his four sisters, who were returning home from a birthday party.
The Guyana Chronicle was told that one of the alleged perpetrators, a relative of the now deceased, was standing by the bus shed in the village while the teenager passed by as night fell in the bushy, lonesome community.
He was snatched off his bicycle and carried behind a yard, a stone’s throw from the Sister’s Police Station where an unnatural sexual act was committed. It was during the act that the teen lost consciousness. He was then carried out to the nearby Berbice River where his body was disposed of along with his bicycle.