“Pooh Bear” jailed for 8 years for brother’s murder

Wensley Williams, 45, of Craig, East Bank Demerara (EBD), has been sentenced to a minimum of eight years in jail for the murder of his brother, Cleveland Hodge.

In May 2020 at their Craig home, Williams, also known as “Pooh Bear,” a mentally unstable man, killed his 39-year-old sibling, who was a father of three.

Dead: Cleveland Hodge

Along with the jail sentence, which was handed down on Thursday, Judge Priya Sewnarine-Beharry of the Demerara High Court gave numerous instructions to the Guyana Prison Service.

It is required of the Prison Service to carry out Williams’ mental evaluation and treatment, expose him to skill-training, and arrange for needs-specific counseling sessions.

Crucially, starting in February 2026, Williams will be hauled before Justice Sewnarine-Beharry or any other High Court Judge, for a periodic review every two years.

This criminal will be released from detention under the terms the court determines appropriate after the court is satisfied that he is prepared for reintegration into society.

Twelve jurors from the Demerara High Court found Williams guilty of capital offence last month, but they also declared him to be insane.

Attorneys Jevon Cox and Candaice Adams represented Williams in the case. State Counsel Caressa Henry, State Counsel Joy Williams, and State Counsel Padma Dubraj handled the prosecution.    

A day after being stabbed by his brother, Hodge, popularly known as “Bruk Up,” a gold miner from Craig, EBD, passed away at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

On May 21, 2020, at around 15:10 hours, the now dead man was stabbed five times.

The police said that Hodge saw that Williams was carrying a knife and went up to take it away out of concern that he would cut himself.

However, Williams is reported to have cut Hodge’s hands as he approached in an attempt to disarm him. After that, Williams stabbed his brother multiple times.

Hodge was transported to the Diamond Public Hospital after concerned citizens raised an alarm. There, he received treatment and was released the same evening.

However, Hodge was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital after complaining of feeling unwell a few hours later. 

He passed away on May 22, 2020.