A police constable was earlier today charged with manslaughter for the shooting death of Essequibo businessman, Orin Boston.
The accused, Sherwin Peters appeared before Magistrate Ester Sam via Zoom at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where he was not required to plead to the indictable charge. He was placed on one million dollar bail.
The police shooting occurred on September 15, 2021. Boston, 29, was shot as he lay next to his wife in his bed. It is alleged that Peters, a member of the Guyana Police Force’s SWAT team pulled the trigger. The team was conducting an operation at Boston’s Dartmouth, Essequibo home at the time.
The shooting angered residents, many of whom protested by lighting fires and blocking the main road with debris.
Before this incident, the police had not listed Boston as a high-profile criminal or even indicated that he was wanted for any offence. Hence, many found it strange that the SWAT team would descend on the man’s premises in the wee hours of the morning.
On Thursday, the Director of Public Prosecutions recommended the manslaughter charge after months of investigations by the police’s Office of Professional Responsibility and the Police Complaints Authority.
Peters, a 32-year-old father of one calmly walked into the courtyard dressed in his police pants, service boots, and a jersey. He was surrounded by investigators from CID headquarters. When the hearing had concluded he was escorted from the courtroom in handcuffs.
He will make his next court appearance on February 1.