CHRISTOPHER Van Nooten, the Mabaruma, North-West District (NWD) resident, who is facing a murder charge, has changed his guilty plea to not guilty.
The 50-year-old man had pleaded guilty to the charge that, on April 18, 2022, he murdered Sherwin Smith, of Kumaka Water Front, NWD, who was 44 years old at the time of the crime. The murder accused had appeared before Justice Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus of the Demerara High Court.
A jury is scheduled to be empanelled on September 10, 2024, for Van Nooten’s trial.

According to reports, Van Nooten stabbed Smith at the Mabaruma Settlement Ground.
A statement from the police had said that, on the day in question, a policeman at the eastern gate of the ground saw when Van Nooten walked towards Smith holding a knife.
Van Nooten then walked up to Smith and dealt him several stabs about his body.

The law enforcement officer promptly intervened and successfully disarmed Van Nooten. Smith, who was injured, made his way to a nearby car and subsequently collapsed.

He was then urgently transported to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital, where medical attention was provided for injuries sustained to his left abdomen and neck.
He unfortunately succumbed to his injuries around 20:00hrs on the same date.
It is believed that an old grievance between the two] led to the stabbing.