BOMBING CASE; Defence targets confession evidence
Serious legal issues surrounding alleged confession statements and access to legal representation dominated proceedings on Wednesday in the gas station bombing case.
The matter was called before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
During the hearing, Magistrate McGusty announced that attorney Mikel Puran of Ramsay Law, who was in Berbice and represents co-accused Johnny Boodram, informed the court of their intentions.
Puran stated that they plan to formally challenge confession statements the prosecution is seeking to rely on. He and his client suggested that the statements are not true and were improperly obtained.
As a result, the defence will file written submissions outlining the basis of the challenge. The court set January 28 as the deadline for these submissions.
At the same time, the court heard that prime suspect Daniel Alexander Ramirez Poedemo and co-accused Alexander Bettencourt currently do not have legal representation.
Speaking through a court-appointed translator, the two men told the magistrate that since their arrest, they have been unable to contact their families.
This situation has prevented them from retaining attorneys to act on their behalf. They requested that arrangements be made to allow them to contact relatives so that lawyers could be secured.
The issue of access to counsel was acknowledged by the court during the proceedings.
In light of these outstanding legal issues, the matter was adjourned to February 4, 2026, when it will come up for report.
The accused are among seven persons charged in connection with the October 26, 2025, bombing at the Mobil Service Station located at the corner of Regent and King Streets, Georgetown.
The explosion claimed the life of six-year-old Soraya Bourne and injured several others, including children.
The other accused in the matter are Jennifer Rodriguez, Johnny Boodram, Krystal LaCruz, Wayne Correia, and Ramesh Pramdeo.
Following the deadly explosion, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) instituted terrorism-related charges against seven of the nine suspects initially taken into custody.
These charges were laid on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) after investigators sought legal guidance on how to proceed.
Police have stated that images of the explosive device used in the attack were retrieved from Poedemo’s mobile phone and later examined by explosive experts.
CCTV footage reportedly shows Poedemo and an accomplice arriving at the service station in a motor car before the explosive was detonated near the area where bottled cooking gas was stored.
Poedemo was arrested following a nationwide manhunt and has been linked by investigators to a Venezuelan criminal gang.
Police have also indicated that the State intends to pursue the maximum penalties available under the law, including provisions relating to acts of terrorism.
The matter is scheduled to return to court on February 4.
