Brothers Phillip and Fidel Williams were yesterday afternoon acquitted of the 2016 murder of Brazilian gold miner, Naldinho De Costa Souza.
Following hours of deliberation a jury at the High Court in Suddie, Essequibo returned with unanimous verdicts, finding both brothers not guilty of the capital charge.
The accused had faced a first trial back in March which ended in a hung jury.
That panel had been unable to arrive at a unanimous verdict and the men were made to face a retrial.
When the verdicts were announced yesterday, Justice Navindra Singh who presided over the trial wished the visibly relieved men “good luck” and urged them to stay out of trouble.
The brothers were accused of murdering Souza on February 9th, 2016 at Fish Creek, Cuyuni River.
Sousa, called ‘Vandam,’ of Boa Vista, Brazil, was found with his throat slit in his Fish Creek, Cuyuni River camp.
A quantity of gold had been reported missing.
The former accused were represented by defence attorney Latchmi Dindayal.
Meanwhile, the state’s case was presented by Prosecutor Tiffini Lyken.
