Friendship man on manslaughter charge over gold miner’s death

Devon Harris, who was wanted by police in connection with the death of gold miner Akeem Caesar, was yesterday arraigned in a city court on a manslaughter charge.

Harris, 40, of Lot 34 Public Road, Friendship, East Bank Demerara, stood before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in Court 1 of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where the charge was read to him.

It was alleged that on March 4, at Black Water Landing, Konawaruk, Mahdia, Harris unlawfully killed Caesar.

According to the police prosecutor, at around 3.30 pm on the day in question, a fight erupted between the two men, who had been drinking. They were then separated and Caesar left.

A short time after, the prosecutor said, Caesar returned with two broken glass bottles and attacked the accused. It was at this point, the prosecutor noted, that Harris, who was armed with a shotgun, discharged a round in the direction of the deceased and struck one of his feet. Caesar was then taken to the Mahdia District Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Attorney Adrian Thompson, who represented the accused, applied for bail on the grounds that his client had “umblemished” record as he had never been before the courts previously. He also informed the magistrate that his client was a married father, and an employed individual who contributes to society.

Thompson noted that Harris was employed as an armed security guard, which explained why he legally had a firearm in his possession.

The prosecutor did not object to bail but requested that it be made mandatory that the accused report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters at Eve Leary. As a result, Magistrate McLennan granted the bail request and placed Harris on $200,000 bail, with the condition that he report to the CID Headquarters on a fortnightly basis.

The matter was adjourned until April 9.