- new trial ordered
THE murder case involving well-known educator and entertainer Kirwyn Mars, popularly known as “Sir Mars,” took an unexpected turn at the High Court yesterday when the accused, Brian Richards, withdrew his guilty plea moments before sentencing, prompting the matter to be sent back for trial.
Richards, a 27-year-old labourer, appeared before Justice Joy Persaud-Singh in Court Two at the Demerara High Court, where he informed the court that he no longer wished to maintain his guilty plea to the capital offence of murder and instead sought to have the case heard before a jury.
The court was told that Richards, who was previously considered to have low comprehension skills, indicated that he did not fully understand the implications of his earlier admission and now wished to plead not guilty.
In light of the change, Justice Persaud-Singh discontinued sentencing proceedings and ordered that the matter be listed for trial. Richards was remanded to prison pending the setting of a trial date.
The development marks a reversal in proceedings, as Richards had previously pleaded guilty to the 2023 murder of Mars, a plea that had advanced the case to the sentencing stage. The earlier guilty plea was entered during High Court proceedings under legal advice from his attorney, Ronald Bostwick.
Richards is being prosecuted by State attorneys Padma Dubraj, Nelissa Peterkin, and Aliyah Heywood. The prosecution is based on the recommendation of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, who advised that the Guyana Police Force charge Richards with the capital offence of murder following Mars’ death.
According to court records and police reports, Mars was fatally stabbed during an incident on May 7, 2023, at approximately 10:30 hrs at Providence, East Bank Demerara. The incident occurred while Mars and Richards were in a grey Mitsubishi RVR vehicle.
Investigators say the two men, who were known to each other, had an altercation described as a “misunderstanding” that escalated into violence, with both allegedly arming themselves with knives.
Mars sustained multiple stab wounds and reportedly attempted to flee the vehicle. However, police said Richards reversed the car, striking Mars and pinning him against a fence. His body was later found trapped between the vehicle and a concrete structure.
Richards fled the scene on foot but was arrested two days later at his workplace in Georgetown. Surveillance footage reportedly placed both men together shortly before the fatal encounter.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Mars suffered eight stab wounds to the chest, collarbone, shoulder, elbow, and hand. The cause of death was listed as crushing injuries to the chest combined with multiple sharp-force injuries.
The case is expected to proceed to trial at a later date as the court prepares for a full hearing before a jury.
