With the prosecution unable to disprove that he acted in self-defence, Rawle Munroe was on Tuesday afternoon cleared of the 2018 fatal stabbing of ex-soldier Edward Beveney.
Beveney called ‘Akim’ and ‘Buddha,’ 23, was stabbed during a confrontation over a bicycle on May 26th, 2018.
At the trial, the court had heard that the incident unfolded when the ex-soldier, who was said to be the aggressor, confronted Munroe with a cutlass.
Munroe’s attorney, Teriq Mohammed, submitted that his client acted in defence of himself, and therefore had no case to answer to.
Trial Judge Sandil Kissoon agreed with counsel and upheld his no-case submission, ruling that there was insufficient evidence led by the prosecution to prove that the accused had murdered the deceased.
With the State unable to satisfy this burden-of-proof, Justice Kissoon then directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty, thereby discharging Munroe and setting him free.
The former-accused who had also sustained a wound to his chest and a chop wound to his left arm, during the attack, had been indicted for the capital offence.
The charge against him alleged that he murdered Beveney on May 26th, 2018 at Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
He had always maintained his innocence.
The State was represented by Prosecutor Cicelia Corbin.
Background
Following the incident, sources had told this newspaper that the two men were known to each other since they worked together in the interior several years earlier.
Reports had indicated that on the day in question, Munroe parked his bicycle and went into a shop, but when he exited, the bicycle was missing.
Upon enquiring, he learnt that Beveney had taken it.
The man eventually got the bicycle back from another individual, after which he proceeded to leave. However, he was then reportedly confronted by Beveney, who was armed with a cutlass and a knife.
Beveney reportedly fired a chop, which Munroe barred with his left hand.
In retaliation, he then allegedly whipped out a ‘jukker’ from his waist and dealt Beveney several stabs about his body.
Both men fell on the ground but Beveney managed to get up and jumped into a nearby trench.
The police were summoned and both men were taken to the hospital.
The ‘jukker’ was recovered at the crime scene.
