Paper committal sought in gas station bombing case as evidence fully disclosed

A scene of the destruction caused by the bombing

Prosecutors on Tuesday moved to have the high-profile gas station bombing case determined by paper committal, after confirming that all statements and documentary evidence have been disclosed to the defence.
Police Prosecutor Mandel Moore made the application before acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, informing the court that the prosecution’s evidentiary disclosures were complete.
The matter involves 33-year-old Venezuelan national Daniel Alexander Ramirez Poedemo, identified as the prime suspect, and his three co-accused: 44-year-old Alexander Bettencourt, 27-year-old Jhonny Boodram, and 33-year-old Kystal LaCruz. All four appeared virtually from prison.
The defendants are facing terrorism-related charges arising from the bombing of a Mobil gas station, an incident that resulted in the death of a six-year-old girl and triggered widespread public concern over national security and violent crime.A paper committal is a legal procedure in which a magistrate determines whether there is sufficient evidence for a matter to be sent to the High Court based solely on written statements and documentary material, without the need for oral testimony at a preliminary inquiry.
During a previous hearing, Moore had advised the court that key items of evidence recovered from the scene of the bombing were sent overseas to India for forensic examination.
He indicated that the results of those tests were expected ahead of Tuesday’s proceedings. The prosecutor confirmed that the full body of documentary evidence is now before the court.
Following the disclosure, the attorney representing co-accused Jhonny Boodram requested additional time to review the material and prepare a defence statement. Acting Chief Magistrate McGusty granted the request, setting December 30 as the deadline for the filing.
Meanwhile, a separate but related terrorism matter stemming from the same wave of violence is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday, December 17, in the Leonora Magistrates’ Court. In that case, 44-year-old Wayne Corriea and 51-year-old Ramesh Pramdeo, both Guyanese nationals, along with their co-accused, 33-year-old Venezuelan national Jennifer Rodriguez, are also charged in connection with the October 26 bombing.
The cases form part of a broader investigation into coordinated explosive attacks, as authorities continue to pursue judicial proceedings against those accused in one of the deadliest incidents in recent years.