‘Thug Life’ Cleared of Attempted Murder, Wounding Charges

December 11 2024- Denellon Emanuel, also known by his alias ‘Thug Life’ was acquitted on Tuesday of attempted murder and wounding charges.

The unanimous not-guilty verdicts were handed down by a 12-member jury at the High Court in Demerara, bringing an end to a trial that focused on a violent altercation in De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara (WCD). Navindra Singh was the trial judge.

The allegations stemmed from an incident on September 20, 2020, in which Emanuel was accused of stabbing Nizam Khan, also known as “Ameer,” during a dispute at a Superbet shop.

The prosecution claimed that tensions between the two men, who had known each other for about four years, were ignited when Khan allegedly urinated in a drain outside Emanuel’s home.

This reportedly led to a heated argument.

According to eyewitness accounts presented in court, the dispute escalated at the Superbet shop, where Emanuel allegedly threatened to “tackle” Khan while brandishing a ‘Rambo’-style knife.

Khan managed to deflect an initial attack using his bicycle and left the premises. However, as he made his way home, Emanuel allegedly followed and stabbed him in the neck.

Khan was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital and later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery for what a doctor testified were life-threatening injuries.

Emanuel denied the allegations of unprovoked violence, maintaining that he acted in self-defence. When questioned by the police, Emanuel reportedly said, “De man attacked me, and I had to defend myself.”

In his caution statement, Emanuel admitted to stabbing Khan but provided a different account of the events. He claimed that the altercation began after Khan urinated in front of him and his daughter, which led to an argument.

Later at the shop, Emanuel alleged, Khan choked him, prompting him to retaliate.

Emanuel further stated that Khan attempted to stab him with a knife he had drawn from his waistband. According to Emanuel, he managed to disarm Khan and used the knife to defend himself.

Jurors were shown video footage of the altercation as part of the evidence presented during the trial.

Following deliberations, they returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty on both the attempted murder charge and the alternative charge of felonious wounding.

Emanuel’s defence was led by attorney-at-law Kiswana Jefford of Hughes, Fields, and Stoby law firm,
while the prosecution was represented by attorneys Muntaz Ali and Christopher Belfield.