Murder charge against Merai set aside on DPP's order
Stabroek News
April 26, 2002
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Denis Hanomansingh yesterday ordered the setting aside of the private criminal charge of murder brought by Eusi Kwayana against Senior Superintendent of Police Steve Merai for the death of Shaka Blair.
The DPP, in a letter to Magistrate Brassington Reynolds presiding at the Vigilance court and read out in the court yesterday by the police prosecutor, ordered that the action be set aside as he was dealing with the matter himself.
No further explanation could be elicited from the DPP's office yesterday. The government has said that the DPP would look into the controversial April 6 shooting death of Blair at Buxton.
The DPP's action did not come as a surprise. Kwayana at a press briefing last week had cited hurdles placed by the DDP in his two previous private criminal actions which suffered a similar fate.
Kwayana is expected to address the issue at a press briefing today.
Kwayana, a political and community activist, had sworn to the information contained in the charge at the Cove and John Magistrate's Court on April 16.
He had told a press conference that he lodged the charge in the interest of bringing the suspect to justice along with avoiding the possibility of any person taking the law into their own hands. He had further stated that it was his intention to use a forum where Merai had the right of defence and where he is presumed innocent until the court reaches a conclusion on the issues. This, he had stated, was intended to demonstrate that suspects are entitled to a fair trial.