Bush Lot resident acquitted of attempted murder

January 30 2025

A 27-year-old man of Bush Lot Village, Corentyne Berbice, was cleared of attempted murder after a 12-member jury at the Berbice High Court returned a unanimous not-guilty verdict.

Vishnu Jeenarine, also known as “Boyo,” had been on trial for allegations linked to an incident that occurred between May 5 and May 6, 2018, at Kilmarnock Village, Corentyne.

Prosecutors had claimed that Jeenarine inflicted severe injuries on Derick Drepaul with the intention of taking his life.

He was also accused of causing grievous bodily harm with the intent to permanently disfigure or disable Drepaul.

Jeenarine denied both charges from the start of the proceedings.

During the trial, the State Counsel Marisa Edwards relied heavily on medical evidence to support its case.

A report outlining Drepaul’s injuries was tendered in court, and a doctor testified that the victim had sustained a head wound which she described as life-threatening.

After hearing submissions from both sides, Justice Deobrah Kumar reviewed the evidence and delivered a summation to the jury, instructing them to carefully assess whether the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The jury later returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty on the charge of attempted murder.

As a result of the decision, Jeenarine was immediately freed from custody, bringing the long-running case to an end.