-by Nakasia Logan

The gas station bombing case that shocked the nation in October last year was adjourned this morning, when two of the seven accused appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty.

During their appearance, a request was made for time to secure legal representation. As such, it was decided for the matter to be adjourned until February 4, 2026, when it will come up again for report. The prime suspect in the matter, Daniel Alexander Rameires Podemo, appeared alongside co-accused Alexander Bettencourt.

Speaking through a court-appointed translator, both men indicated that they wished to retain private attorneys but needed to first contact their families. Bettencourt told the Magistrates Court that he remains in contact with his wife. In response, McGusty directed prison officials to facilitate communication between the suspects and their relatives to allow them to secure legal counsel.

Podemo and Bettencourt are among seven persons charged in connection with the October 26, 2025, gas station bombing, which killed six-year-old Soraya Bourne and left several other persons injured. The explosion occurred during the early evening hours at the Mobil gas station on the corners of Regent and King Street.

Investigators alleged that the bombing was a coordinated attack involving multiple accomplices. The remaining co-accused include Venezuelan nationals Jennifer Rodriguez and Johnny Boodram; Guyanese- Venezuelan Krystal LaCruz; and Guyanese nationals Wayne Correia and Ramesh Pramdeo.

Following the incident, law enforcement launched an intensive investigation that resulted in the arrest of the suspects over several days.
The case has since drawn widespread attention due to the death of a child and the growing concerns over violent crime connected to cross-border criminal networks.

There have even been calls for the death penalty, permitted under Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01 and the government has already indicated it will pursue the capital punishment. All the accused remain in custody as the court awaits the next report.