SWAT Constable Sentenced to 25 Years for Killing Orin Boston

 -During Botched Police Operation

July 10 2025

Sherwin Peters, a 36-year-old constable attached to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit of the Guyana Police Force, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the 2021 killing of Dartmouth businessman Orin Boston.

The sentence was handed down on Thursday by High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon at the Essequibo High Court, just two weeks after a 12-member jury unanimously convicted Peters of manslaughter.

The court ordered that the sentence be computed from June 25, 2025—the date Peters was remanded following the guilty verdict.

Boston, 29, a father of two, was fatally shot in his home during an early morning SWAT operation on September 15, 2021. The raid, which was conducted without a search or arrest warrant, was led by 12 heavily armed officers and resulted in Boston being shot while asleep in his bed.

During sentencing, Justice Kissoon condemned the conduct of Peters and the entire SWAT team involved, calling their actions “unlawful, unjustified, unreasonable, and excessive.” He criticized the unit for breaching the sanctity of Boston’s home—described as his “castle and sanctuary”—without lawful authority. The judge noted that Peters was “fortunate” not to have faced a murder charge, and cited the lack of any mitigating factors in arriving at the 25-year custodial sentence.

Although financial compensation was previously paid to Boston’s family in a civil matter, the court found that because the payment was made from public funds rather than by Peters personally, it did not significantly lessen the severity of the offence.

The trial, which began on June 17, featured testimony from over 27 prosecution witnesses. Peters was unrepresented during the trial but appeared at the sentencing hearing with attorney Keoma Griffith, who argued unsuccessfully for a reduced sentence based on Peters’ duties at the time of the incident.

During the hearing, Boston’s widow and mother delivered emotional victim impact statements, describing the long-term emotional and financial hardship caused by his death. Peters also addressed the court, expressing remorse and pleading for forgiveness from the family, though much of his statement was inaudible.

He acknowledged the consequences of his actions and spoke about his own upbringing and decision to join the police force in pursuit of a lawful life.

Testimony from a fellow officer, now with the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU), confirmed that Boston was found bleeding from a shoulder wound after a single gunshot was heard during the raid. No weapons or illegal items were found at the residence, and Boston’s wife disputed any claim of confrontation.

The killing sparked widespread protests and renewed calls for police reform and accountability across Guyana. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Guyana Police Force came under intense scrutiny for the operation, which remains one of the most controversial uses of force by law enforcement in recent years.