‘Ratty’ committed to stand trial for 2017 murder of bus driver
Orwin Peters, called ‘Ratty,’ was yesterday committed to stand trial for the 2017 murder of Tedroy James, who was shot to his head while attempting to drive away from bandits, who robbed several passengers on his minibus.
The charge against Peters stated that on July 11th, 2017, at Georgetown, he murdered James, called ‘Six Head,’ in the course or furtherance of a robbery.
The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the charge was being conducted by Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
In July, a case was made out against Peters, who told the court that he would be calling witnesses on his behalf. However, during yesterday’s court proceedings, Peters told the court that he failed to locate the witnesses and he had nothing to say to the court in relation to the matter.
He was subsequently committed to stand trial at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Assizes.
James, a Route 32 minibus driver and a resident of Suddie Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, was shot dead around midday on July 11th, 2017, at McDoom, East Bank Demerara, as he attempted to drive away from bandits, who robbed several passengers on his bus.
He sustained a single shot to his head and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The police had said that James was driving his minibus BTT 976 and he stopped to put off a passenger at McDoom.
As a passenger was about to disembark the vehicle, two male suspects, including one armed with a handgun, pounced on the unsuspecting passengers and began to rob them, the police added.
James observed what was happening and attempted to drive away but was shot. This newspaper was told that James, who operated the Parika to Georgetown route, managed to drive some distance after being shot but subsequently collapsed.