A 22-year-old miner was yesterday remanded to prison after being arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for unlawfully killing fellow miner Jevon Fraser who reportedly intervened in an argument as a peacemaker.
The charge against Alex Higgins of Lot 542 ‘D’ Field Sophia is that on December 27 last, at the Konawaruk Junction, Potaro, Essequibo, he unlawfully killed Jevon Fraser.
The accused was not required to plead to the indictable charge of manslaughter when it was read to him by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
In his objections to bail, Prosecutor Michael Grant told the court that the accused was charged with manslaughter because he mentioned in his statement that he was “attacked by the deceased,” and he was only “defending himself.”
The prosecutor however added that the investigation is not yet complete and there is a likelihood that when it is; a charge of murder will be instituted.
Bail was also objected to because of the seriousness of the offence.
The young man whose left leg was in a cast and appeared to have been in severe pain, had to be lifted into the courtroom by police officers.
Grant explained to the court that the defendant’s injury was not related to the offence for which he has been charged, but that rather he; [Higgins], told the police that persons in the nearby area had chopped him after the incident.
Higgins was informed that he would be remanded to prison. His matter will be called again on January 19.
Reports reaching Stabroek News are that Fraser, 26, of 31 Golden Fleece, West Coast Berbice, died at the Georgetown Public Hospital on the morning of December 27 after being stabbed several times about his body by one of the two miners.
Fraser was reportedly stabbed on Christmas Eve after he intervened in an argument between two miners. He succumbed to his injuries three days later.
According to his father, Collin Fraser, Jevon was trying to make peace between the two men when one of them turned on him and stabbed him to his neck, and when he fell, the man continued to knife him.
