THE Guyana Court of Appeal, on Monday, ordered a retrial for three men who were convicted and sentenced to 80 years in prison for the 2012 murder of gold miner, Glen Xavier.

Back in 2017, a 12-member jury had unanimously found Faisal Moore, called “Hard Mouth”; Steffon Campbell, called “Burnham”; and Roy Yokum, called “Ray Ray” guilty of murdering Xavier, while he and his ‘buddy’ Orin John, were having drinks at the Cornbread Minimart, on D’Urban Street, Werk-en-Rust on May 8, 2012.

The sentences were handed down by Justice Navindra Singh at the Demerara High Court. The trio subsequently approached the Court of Appeal contending that the judge had erred in law, and as such neither the sentence nor conviction can stand.

The appeal was heard by Chancellor (ag) of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justices Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud via Zoom.
The Chancellor in delivering the ruling agreed with the men’s contention. She stated that their conviction and sentence will be set aside based on the evidence presented in the case.

Additionally, the matter has been sent back to the High Court for retrial at the next practical sitting of the Demerara Criminal Assizes.
The Guyana Chronicle had reported that, on the day in question, the trio’s motive was robbery. The modus operandi was to ride up to Xavier and John on CG motorcycles, and hold them at gunpoint while demanding their money and jewellery. To ensure that they complied and did not put up a fight, the trio shot at the men before making good their escape.

Xavier, 32, was shot in the abdomen and subsequently died, while 48-year-old John sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder and spent a few weeks in the hospital.