A charge against three men for the December 31, 2009 murder of Wendell Tappin was withdrawn on Friday by acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson and a joint charge reinstituted against two of the accused in the matter.

Police Prosecutor Stephen Telford told the court that based on advice received from the Director of Public Prosecutions, the charge against Steve Allicock, Randolph Allicock and Leonard Allicock was being withdrawn.

He added that Steve Allicock was never apprehended.

However Randolph and Leonard have been incarcerated since earlier this year.  Telford then informed that a joint charge was being reinstituted against them.

The new charge alleges that on December 31 at

Albouystown they murdered Tappin.   They were not required to plead.

Leonard told the court that he has eighteen children, “12 of them suffering because of this charge,” he said.

He bemoaned the judicial system in Guyana.  Randolph stood in the dock with tears in his eyes.

It is alleged that Tappin had left his home on New Year’s eve to collect a phone that he had given to someone to charge in Hill Street, Albouystown, when two men confronted him with one holding him down while the other chopped him.