‘Two Colours’ decries delay in retrial; files constitutional motion seeking release

A man who has spent almost seven years on remand on a murder charge has filed a constitutional motion in the High Court against Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall in which it is being contended that is he being denied a fair hearing within a reasonable time as guaranteed under Article 144 of the Constitution of Guyana.

 Lennox Wayne, called ‘Two Colours’, along with Melroy Doris are on remand for the July 10, 2014 murder of Ashmini Harriram, the 19-year-old cosmetologist who was shot dead just after she disembarked a minibus at Lusignan on the East Coast of Demerara. Following a Preliminary Inquiry, both of them were in 2015 committed to stand trial for the offence at the Demerara Criminal Assizes.

Their trial commenced in April 2017 and ended a few weeks after in a hung jury. As such, the Trial Judge further remanded them to prison pending a retrial at the next practicable session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes. However, almost four years later, the men have not been brought before a judge and jury for their retrial to commence.

Taking this into consideration, Wayne in a Fixed Date Application is asking that he be admitted to bail pending the determination of the said application.  Among other things, he asking for a permanent stay of the murder charge against him, damages in excess of $100,000 for the breach of his fundamental right; interests; costs, and such further or other orders the court finds just.

The constitutional motion comes up for hearing on March 23, 2021, before Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Demerara.

Wayne is the main witness in the case of former veteran policeman Leyon Lindo, who was in 2017, committed to stand trial for allegedly conspiring to murder businessman Mohamed Khan, whose decapitated corpse was found at Cummings Lodge. Greater Georgetown in 2015.

According to the charge against Lindo, who was previously attached to the Tactical Services Unit (TSU), between July 8 and July 10, 2014, at Eve Leary, Georgetown, he conspired with Wayne, the alleged hitman to murder Khan. Lindo’s case is yet to be called for trial.