-case adjourned to Sept 7
The murder case against three T&HD employees stemming from the MV Barima disaster was yesterday adjourned to September 7 after the prosecution was granted additional time to complete and serve full disclosure of its evidence to the defence.
The matter was heard before Magistrate Ravindra Mohabir, with Police Prosecutor Mandel Moore informing the court that only partial disclosures were available at this stage.
The three accused Captain Kevin Price, Chief Mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts and Goods Superintendent Delon Granderson appeared before the court virtually while handcuffed. They each face 73 counts of murder. There have been protests in various parts of the country against these charges.
Roberts was represented by attorney Everton Singh-Lammy, while Granderson and Price were represented by a defence team that included attorneys Dexter Smartt, Keona Higgins, Eden Corbin, Angel Stevens and Dr. Dexter Todd, with several appearing both in person and virtually.
During the hearing, the prosecution served partial disclosure, which included statements from some passengers who were aboard the vessel, statements from relatives who identified the bodies of victims, statements from Charity wharf staff, police statements and a disc containing video interviews conducted with the accused.
The defence was pleased that investigators had complied with the court’s earlier direction to begin the disclosure process.
“We would have received partial disclosure, which contains certain statements and evidence that the police intend to rely on to prosecute these charges against the three individuals,” he told reporters outside the courthouse.
He added that while the defence had only just received the material, it was too early to comment on its contents.
“So far, we are pleased that the police kept their end of the deal and they brought the disclosure to court, and we’re hoping that they will maintain the same momentum that they had in relation to the disclosure,” Todd said.
The case was adjourned until September 7, when the prosecution is expected to provide full disclosure of all evidence it intends to rely upon in the proceedings.
The charges arise out of the sinking of the MV Barima, an 87-year-old ferry, which capsized on July 18, 2026, while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. The disaster claimed 73 lives, while dozens of others were rescued and around 30 persons are still unaccounted for. A Commission of Inquiry has since been established to examine the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Discussion