‘Rochie’ freed of 2021 murder

Rochino Maison, who is 28 years old, was found not guilty of murdering Keno Griffith, who lived in Mackenzie, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

At the High Court in Demerara, Maison known as ‘Rochie’, also of Mackenzie, Linden, was on trial for the capital offence before Justice Zamilly Ally-Seepaul and a mixed 12-member jury.

The jury’s foreperson notified the presiding judge that the accused was found not guilty of the crime after the panel’s Tuesday afternoon deliberations.

Maison was represented by attorney-at-law Domnick Bess.

A 36-year-old Griffith, also known as ‘Tuckey’, is said to have been chopped about the body on July 26, 2021, while attempting to mediate a dispute between Maison and a woman.

According to reports, Maison and the woman, who lived in the same neighborhood, had misunderstood, which led to the chopping incident.

The woman allegedly spat on Maison after he pulled her breast.

Maison then allegedly threw a bucket of water at the woman, prompting Griffith to intervene.

This reportedly escalated into a physical altercation between the two men.

During the fight, Maison allegedly brandished a cutlass and inflicted injuries on Griffith’s head and arm.

Griffith was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex, where he was hospitalised for several days.

Maison was initially charged with attempted murder, but following Griffith’s death, the charge was upgraded to murder. Griffith’s cause of death was determined to be cirrhosis, bleeding, and shock.

Maison’s first trial for Griffith’s murder was conducted in November 2023 before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall and ended with a hung jury, necessitating a retrial.