Twenty-eight-year-old Roy Gladstone of Sand Hills, Berbice River, was slapped with a murder charge following the unlawful killing of fellow villager, Elvis Benedict Francis, between June 18 and 19 last.

Gladstone, unrepresented by counsel, was not required to plead to the charge when it was read to him by Magistrate Peter Hugh at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on Monday afternoon. However, the case has been adjourned to Thursday, June 27, when it is expected that Gladstone would be represented by counsel.

According to reports, on Tuesday June 18 an altercation, which stemmed from an old grievance, ensued between the two men. Consequently, the now deceased armed himself with cutlasses went to the home of the suspect. It was observed that the exterior of Gladstone’ s home was damaged with what is suspected to be cutlass markings.
Gladstone’s wife, Doisha Stephen, told the Guyana Chronicle that her husband, in an effort to protect her and their three children, had pelted the now deceased with a bat.

However, a post mortem examination revealed there were deep lacerated wounds to the lower and center of Francis’ back, left hand, upper left jaw, along with scratches and bruises about the body. The cause of death was recorded as shock and hemorrhage along with multiple wounds.