Court of Appeal challenging the verdict of conviction in the 2012 murder of D’Urban St

A verdict on an appeal filed by three men who is currently serving 80-year prison sentences for Glen Xavier’s 2012 murder, which was sewn down during a robbery, was deferred to Monday by the Guyana Court of Appeal.
In 2017, a 12-person jury convicted Steffon Campbell, Faisal Moore, and Ray Yokum of the May 9, 2012 Xavier murder, which took place at the Cornbread Mini Mart in D’Urban and Lime Streets, Georgetown.
Justice Navindra Singh, presiding at the High Court in Demerara, sentenced them each to 80 years’ imprisonment. Justice Singh ordered the men to become eligible for parole only after they had spent at least 40 years behind bars.
Following the convictions, the men upheld their innocence and then filed an appeal challenging their conviction and sentence on several grounds. They argue that the trial Judge made several errors in the law making their convictions unsafe.
The Guyana Court of Appeal concluded hearing arguments in the case last year and was due to make its decision on Thursday.
While Moore and Yokum were represented by Stanley Moore, SC, and Attorney-in-Law Nigel Hughes, Campbell was underrepresented as his lawyer recently passed away. Under the circumstances, the court said it would give him time to retain a lawyer and defer the ruling until Monday.
Xavier, 26, from Harlem, West Coast Demerara (WCD), was reportedly fatally shot when the trio, armed with guns, attacked the Mini Mart. After the robbery, they escaped with an undisclosed amount of money on two Honda CG motorcycles. Xavier was shot to his chest and left arm and later died.
His cause of death was given as a haemorrhage and shock due to shooting injuries.
In passing the sentence, Justice Singh underlined that such violent acts would not be tolerated by the courts. He stated that a strong message needed to be sent to potential criminals and the courts would not tolerate the falsity that seemed to overtake society.
In fact, one of the men’s solicitors pleaded on the court to temper justice with mercy, but Justice Singh declared “there will be no mercy”.
In doing so, Justice Singh commenced the sentences on a 60-year basis, and made several additions for aggravating factors such as use of a firearm and endangering the public, a further 20 years.
During the case, 14 witnesses were called by the State. The jury deliberated for just over six hours, and only came out once for further instructions, before returning the unanimous guilty verdicts, in respect of each.