Dear Editor,
I am totally shocked and deeply saddened by the senseless, utterly tragic and horrific murder of Dr. Colin Roach which can be unreservedly hailed as a great loss to Guyana. I met Colin when we were both students at Anna Regina Secondary and his demeanor and attitude towards others even back then as a young high school student was that of warmth, kindness and respect. It was no surprise that Colin entered the medical profession.
I see that Michael Jordan has pointed out the similarities of Colin’s murder to that of the murder of the Insurance Executive in 2012, the details of which I am still familiar with since I was the State Prosecutor during the High Court trial which ended in the accused being found guilty and sentenced to 57 years (subsequently reduced to 30 years on Appeal in 2019) and while reading Michael’s article “Who killed Dr. Colin Roach?… This is an easy case to solve.” Nov. 4, 2021, one word kept reverberating in my head – Why? No matter the excuses, the proffered explanations, the seemingly pitiful attempts at justification, these depraved acts just seem so senseless and ought to leave us collectively dumbfounded and filled with deep sorrow. Colin was undoubtedly an asset to the medical profession and the country as a whole and more than likely had tons more to contribute.
My sincere prayer is that the alleged perpetrator/s of this most reprehensible and dastardly act be apprehended swiftly. Such cowards have no place in civilized society among decent law-abiding people. To Colin’s family and friends, I extend my heartfelt condolences and pray that you find the strength to endure this most difficult time.
Sincerely,
Judith Gildharie
Former Assistant Director of Public
Prosecutions