Brothers found not guilty of Brazilian gold miner’s murder

(Caption: The Williams brothers)

Phillip and Fidel Williams, the two brothers who were charged with the 2016 murder of their former employee were on Monday found not guilty of the crime by a 12-member jury. The siblings had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on February 9, 2016, at Fish Cuyuni River, they murdered Nandinho De Costa Sousa, called ‘Vandam’, of Boa Vista, Brazil,

According to reports, Sousa who owned two land dredges was found with his throat slit at a mining camp. His body was found next to a sluice box and a quantity of raw gold was reportedly missing from the camp. He was last seen alive washing down the sluice box with a man. Following the killing, the Guyana Police issued a wanted bulletin for the two brothers.

Phillip and Fidel of Rock View, Essequibo River, were subsequently arrested and charged in January 2018. Throughout their trial at the High Court in Essequibo, the siblings were represented by Attorney-at-law Lachmi Dindayal, while State Counsel Tiffini Lyken appeared for the prosecution. Following the not guilty verdicts, Trial Judge Navindra Singh informed the Williams brothers that they were discharged and free to go.