-as accused claims sole responsibility
-by Kimberly Giddings
Thirty-three-year-old Venezuelan national Daniel Alexander Ramirez Poedemo made a dramatic declaration while appearing before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty today.
The matter had been set for paper committal proceedings, where the court reviews written evidence to determine whether a case should proceed to trial. However, the hearing took an unexpected turn after Poedemo’s attorney, Shellon Boyce, informed the court that her client wished to speak further following a recent consultation.
Boyce said statements made by the accused led her to engage prosecutors to explore resolving the matter through an alternative legal course.
At the magistrate’s request, a translator confirmed Poedemo’s position. He told the court he had already disclosed everything to his attorney and intended to proceed along that path.
He also claimed that several individuals before the court were not involved in the crime and urged a swift resolution so that “innocent persons” could be freed.
In a striking admission, Poedemo accepted sole responsibility for the attack. He said he obtained materials from individuals in Guyana and Venezuela and carried out the act alone, maintaining that none of the co-accused were involved.
Magistrate McGusty noted that the court had obtained as much clarity as possible at this stage and said the prosecution would need to consult the Director of Public Prosecutions in light of the development.
The hearing could not proceed as scheduled. Prosecutors indicated they would need time to engage the defence on a possible plea arrangement, while Boyce suggested about two weeks to prepare a formal proposal. The matter was adjourned to April 20.