NEVILLE Forde, who was on trial for the murder of Sophia bread vendor, Andre Melroy Alexander, in 2017, was, on Tuesday, acquitted of the crime by a jury.

Forde was on trial before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court for the capital offence which read that, on May 5, 2017, in the County of Demerara, he murdered Alexander in the course or furtherance of a robbery.

After deliberating for almost two hours, the 12-member jury found Forde not guilty.

He was represented by attorney-at-law Ronald Daniels, while prosecutor Lisa Cave presented the State’s case.

In 2019, Forde was tried before Justice Navindra Singh for the capital offence, alongside former co-accused Shaquelle Grant called ‘Soldier Man’.

Grant was, however, freed after the judge upheld a no-case submission in his favour. The jury was unable to arrive at a verdict against Forde.

According to reports, on the said date, Alexander was at his bread stand at Dennis Street, Sophia, Georgetown, when two men rode up on a motorcycle. The pillion rider requested three loaves of bread and paid with a $5,000 note.

While Alexander was in the process of making the change, the same pillion rider whipped out a gun and demanded cash.

When the man put up a fight, the robber discharged two rounds, one of which struck Alexander in the stomach.

The robbers relieved Alexander of his cash and also escaped with the three loaves of bread. Alexander died the very night during surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).