After weeks of psychiatric evaluation, twenty-four-year-old Devon Johnson has been deemed fit to stand trial for the murders of two vagrants.
When Johnson was arraigned for the murders of Andrew Benjamin and Raymond Samaroo, both of whom were killed on November 11th, 2019, a report was given to the court by police stating that Johnson was mentally ill and was, therefore, unfit to stand trial.
As a result Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan ordered Johnson to undergo psychiatric evaluation. At a follow-up hearing yesterday, the Police Prosecutor gave the Magistrate the report by the psychiatrist which stated that Johnson was fit to stand trial. She subsequently informed him and asked the prosecutor whether the case file was completed.
The prosecutor said that there are a few outstanding statements and after he retrieves them he will be ready to proceed with the matters.
The matters were adjourned until February 13th, 2020, when the prosecutor is expected to disclose the state’s case to the accused.
According to Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers, at around 3 am on November 11th, Benjamin and another vagrant were sleeping on the pavement on Regent Street in the vicinity of Light Street, when Johnson approached them and chopped Benjamin several times about his body before escaping. Benjamin was later pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
On the same date, Samaroo was standing on the southern pavement of Regent Street in the vicinity of Household Plus when he was approached by Johnson, who is alleged to have fatally stabbed him several times about his body with a knife.
Both murders were recorded by surveillance cameras.
