Riverview man accused of beating ex-father-in-law to death freed by jury

Zaheer Hussein, who had been on trial for beating his former father-in-law, Alexie Gomes, to death, was found not guilty by a 12-member jury on Wednesday afternoon.

Hussein, of Lot 1 Riverview, Ruimveldt, Georgetown had been accused of beating 54-year-old Gomes with a piece of wood on Father’s Day in June 2020.

In her summation to the jury on Wednesday morning, trial Judge Simone Morris-Ramlall directed the panel to give consideration to the capital offence of murder and the lesser count of manslaughter.

In delivering the jury’s verdict, the forewoman informed the court that they had found Hussein unanimously not guilty for both murder and manslaughter.

Consequently, the Judge discharged the former murder accused, who in return, thanked her.

Hussein was represented by Attorneys-at-Law Dexter Todd, Dexter Smartt and Jevon Cox, while State Counsel Muntaz Ali, State Counsel Taniesha Saygon and State Counsel Simran Gajraj prosecuted.

According to reports, Gomes fell ill two days after the beating and had to be hospitalised.

It was previously reported that on June 21, 2020, Gomes had left his Lot 6 Riverview, Ruimveldt home to purchase beers at a nearby shop.

On his way to purchase the beers, he noticed his former son-in-law, Hussein with his grandson, and he decided to approach the two to speak to his grandson.

The child’s father, however, reportedly was not pleased and an altercation ensued during which the assault occurred.

Gomes, who had returned to Guyana from New York earlier in 2020, was forced to stay here following the closure of international airports due to the COVID-19 pandemic.