– expanded judiciary helps reduce criminal case backlog, DPP says

THE Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mrs. Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, has reported significant progress in the disposal of criminal cases during the 2025 Criminal Assizes, citing expanded judicial capacity and more efficient court scheduling as key factors in reducing delays within Guyana’s criminal justice system.
In its October 2025 Criminal Assizes and Year-End 2025 press release, issued on December 30, the DPP’s Chambers stated that a total of 310 criminal cases were disposed of during the year.
Of these, 200 matters were heard and determined in the High Courts of Demerara, Berbice and Essequibo, while 110 were discontinued through nolle prosequi, largely due to unavailable witnesses or insufficient evidence to sustain prosecutions.
The Demerara October 2025 Criminal Assizes commenced on October 7 with 143 cases listed before acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh and Justices Gino Persaud, Damone Younge and Jacqueline Josiah-Graham.
During the Assizes, the State disposed of 36 cases, including murder, manslaughter, attempted murder and sexual offence matters.
Outcomes included 16 guilty pleas, three convictions after trial, several acquittals by jury, and formal not-guilty verdicts following no-case submissions. In some instances, murder charges were reduced to manslaughter after guilty pleas, resulting in sentences ranging from fixed terms of imprisonment to life sentences with eligibility for parole.
The report also detailed that several matters were discontinued after complainants declined to testify or could not be located, a recurring challenge identified by the prosecution in sexual offence and violent crime cases.
In Essequibo, the October Assizes opened on October 28 with 65 cases listed, of which 26 were disposed of by the end of December. These included murder, manslaughter, sexual offences and attempted murder matters. Some accused were sentenced to lengthy prison terms following guilty pleas, while others were acquitted after jury verdicts or when the State offered no further evidence. The Essequibo Assizes are scheduled to continue until February 17, 2026.
The Berbice October Assizes began on October 21, also with 65 cases listed. By year-end, 12 matters had been completed, including murder and sexual offence trials. Several accused pleaded guilty to lesser charges, while others were convicted by unanimous jury verdicts. Sentencing hearings in several matters are scheduled for early January 2026, and the Berbice Assizes will continue until February 3.
For the year overall, the DPP’s Chambers reported handling 100 murder cases, 59 sexual offence matters, 19 attempted murder cases and 16 manslaughter matters in the High Courts. The outcomes included 94 guilty pleas, 29 convictions after trial, 39 jury acquittals, 44 formal verdicts of not guilty, two hung juries and one aborted trial. A total of 218 accused persons stood trial during 2025.
Beyond the Assizes, prosecutors appeared in 43 matters before the Court of Appeal during the year, including cases involving murder, sexual offences, narcotics trafficking and other serious crimes. The Chambers also addressed matters before the Full Court and the Caribbean Court of Justice, where one sexual offence appeal remains ongoing.
In reviewing the year, the DPP’s Chambers attributed the improved case disposal rate to the appointment of 10 new puisne judges in 2024, which allowed four judges to sit simultaneously during the Demerara Assizes in 2025.
The increase in judicial capacity, the Chambers said, has reduced backlogs and enabled cases to be heard more quickly, in keeping with regional standards for timely justice.
The courts are expected to continue this pace into 2026, with the January Criminal Assizes scheduled to open in Demerara on January 13, followed by ongoing sittings in Berbice and Essequibo.