Jamal Forde, the 26-year-old man who was accused of murdering a Sophia businessman in 2015, was yesterday freed after a no-case submission put forward by his attorneys was upheld.
The charge against Forde alleged that on May 1st, 2015, at ‘D’ Field, Sophia, he murdered Shawn Anys during the course or furtherance of a robbery.
Forde was on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12-member jury at the High Court in Georgetown. Subsequent to the state’s representatives closing their case, Forde’s attorneys Ronald Burch-Smith and Keoma Griffith submitted that the state had no case against their client.
The attorneys argued that the state failed to show how Forde was picked out and put on an identification parade a year subsequent to the offence. They further noted that the main witness in the case gave conflicting stories during the trial and could not identify Forde as the killer.
Justice Kissoon upheld the submissions made by Forde’s attorneys and directed the 12-member jury to return a formal not guilty verdict.
Forde has been released after spending three years on remand as he awaited trial.
According to previous reports, Anys, 37, was shot in his head and chest during a robbery, which was carried out by several men.
The police had stated that around 10.50 pm on the day in question, the man went out into his yard to check as his dogs were barking continuously. He was subsequently confronted by two men, one of whom reportedly shot him.
