Three remanded for torching GECOM Linden office
Teon February, called 'Nut'
Teon February, called 'Nut'

AS the investigation continues into the alleged arson committed on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) building at Burnham Drive, Wismar, Linden, three men were on Friday remanded to prison for the crime.

Teon February, called “Nut”, 23, of Canvas City, Wismar, and Marlon Hunter, called “Bushy”, 21, of Silver Town, Wismar; and Byon Kendell, 48, of Kara-Kara Linden, appeared virtually before Magistrate Wanda Fortune at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.

The trio was not required to plead to the joint charge which alleged that on July 14, 2020, they unlawfully and maliciously set fire to the GECOM building.
February was slapped with two firearm- related charges, and a series of break-and- enter with simple larceny charges committed in the Linden District.

Marlon Hunter, called ‘Bushy’

Hunter was represented by attorney-at-law Yondessa Welcome-Mercurius, while February and Kendell were unrepresented. Welcome-Mercurius told the court that her client does not pose a flight risk, and should be released on bail.

However, the bail application was strongly opposed by the prosecutor, on the grounds that while the offence is bailable, the nature of it is serious, since it was committed on a public building.
According to the prosecution, an investigation into the arson is still ongoing by investigators in Linden. Additionally, come Monday, July 12, February and Hunter are expected to appear in court for charges relating to break-and-enter with larceny committed around the Linden district.

The Magistrate remanded the trio to prison until July 30.

According to reports, on July 5, February and Hunter were arrested following a raid in Linden. At the time, February was allegedly nabbed with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and eight matching rounds that had been stolen from a retired police officer’s car days prior.

According to a police report, during a video interview conducted on July 7, 2020, at about 18:00 hours, February admitted

Bryon Kendall

his involvement in the setting of the fire, in that he reportedly said that he was contacted by Kendell on the night of July 13, 2020 regarding the burning of the building.

February allegedly said that he asked Hunter, who’s his cousin, to join him, and on the night in question, sometime after 22:00 hours, Kendell picked them up in a silver Toyota Note motorcar and took them to Burnham Drive where the building was pointed out.

The police in its report said that February claimed that Kendell told him that he wanted the building set on fire the same night, and that they would receive $150,000 on completion of the task. Kendell allegedly gave the cousins a yellow five-gallon bottle of gasoline, which he had in his car trunk at the time and left. February allegedly said they hid the ‘gas’ in some nearby bushes a short distance from the GECOM building and went home.
He said that at around midnight on July 14, 2020, he and his cousin returned to the location on foot and retrieved the ‘gas’, and thereafter, entered the compound from a side gate and later gained access to the GECOM building from the back door.

February allegedly told the police that once inside the building, he and his cousin went to what appeared to be a storeroom in the upper flat of the building, and that after throwing the gas around the room and lighting a fire, there was an explosion, which caused them to receive burns to their feet.
February said they escaped the scene, and went home, using the same route they took to get to the building. On their arrival home, three relatives were there, and they were informed about what had transpired. One family member assisted them with tending to the burns. The same night, Kendell reportedly went to the cousins’ home where $75,000 was handed to February, who later gave the money to Hunter.

The following morning, Kendell reportedly handed over the remaining $75,000. After that date, February said he saw Kendell several times, but he did not say anything about the incident. He added that the man told him that the reason for burning the building was because GECOM was taking too long to swear in Mr. David Granger.

Marlon Hunter was next interviewed on camera, and he supported the story told by February which led to the arrest of Kendell. On Friday, July 9, William Roy Marshall was arrested in connection to the crime.  He is said to be the mastermind behind the burning of the building.

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