Construction worker, 30-year-old Andrew Ridley of Lot 173 Campbell and Sussex streets, Albouystown, Georgetown, and his alleged accomplice Akelow Marshall, 20, of Lot 237 Independence Boulevard, La Penitence, Georgetown, were yesterday remanded to prison over the murder of businessman Shimron Adams.
The two defendants were arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan who read the joint charge to them.
According to the charge, it is alleged that the duo on Monday December 26, 2022, at D’Urban and Chapel streets, Lodge, Georgetown, murdered 41-year-old Adams of Macaw Drive, Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, in the course or furtherance of a robbery.
The two unrepresented men were not required to plead to the indictable charge and were remanded to prison. The matter was adjourned until February 2 when full disclosure is expected to be made.
The police had initially reported that on the night of the murder, at about 23.40 hours, Adams was at his shop located at the southwestern corner of D’Urban and Chapel streets. He was at the time preparing to secure the premises when he was approached by two men. At the time, Adams was wearing a gold finger ring and one gold band along with a small bag on his shoulder and was in the presence of a female companion.
As he was attempting to leave the shop, two men suddenly entered the building through a shutter that Adams had just opened and ordered them to lie on the ground to which they complied.
The unarmed suspect who was allegedly identified as Marshall then took off Adams’s gold band and gold ring, and then demanded that he stand up. Marshall then allegedly attempted to relieve Adams of the shoulder bag but the proprietor held onto his bag and was allegedly shot by Ridley who was said to be the one armed with the handgun.
According to police, the bullet struck the victim in the right side of his abdomen and exited through the right side in the vicinity of his groin which resulted in him releasing the bag and falling to the ground. Marshall then allegedly took possession of the bag and the cellphones of the victim and his female companion and fled along with his accomplice. This newspaper had previously reported that according reliable sources, the police had managed to later obtain a detailed statement from the female companion who reportedly shared a relationship with Ridley.
The woman had told the police that some days before the robbery and murder, Ridley had become annoyed and threatened to rob Adams after he (Ridley) saw messages and photographs on the female’s phone with the now dead man.
Ridley was arrested on Wednesday December 28, while Marshall was held on Thursday December 29 during a road block at the junction of the Berbice River Bridge as he was attempting to flee to neighbouring Suriname.
The murder weapon which was a 9mm pistol was also found under Ridley’s house along with 9 matching rounds of ammunition which ballistic tests confirmed was used in the robbery and murder. It was also said that Ridley later confessed to fatally wounding the businessman.
In court yesterday when the Magistrate attempted to read the charge to the two defendants, Ridley contended that his name was ‘Andrew Orin’ while Marshall also argued that his correct name was Akelow Nurse.
