Jury Declares Ishaka John Insane After Unanimous Guilty Verdict In Murder Trial
Jury Declares Ishaka John Insane After Unanimous Guilty Verdict In Murder Trial
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In a dramatic turn of events, a Demerara High Court jury found 28-year-old Ishaka John of A Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, to be insane but unanimously guilty of murder on Wednesday. The verdict was reached in accordance with section 177 of the Criminal Law (Procedure) Act, which mandates a jury trial to assess the sanity of an accused person who appears to be insane.
Ishaka John had been on trial before Judge Jo Ann Barlow for the 2019 murder of 32-year-old Jason Bowen of Camp Street, Georgetown. The gruesome incident occurred on October 12, 2019, at around 21:38 hours, in front of a building at Church Street, Georgetown. Reports indicated that John attacked Bowen, strangling him with a belt.
Following the jury’s unanimous guilty verdict but insanity declaration, the Judge, Jo Ann Barlow, deferred the matter until January 9, 2024, for further directions. The legal provision invoked in this case, as per section 177, allows for a determination of insanity without affecting the subsequent trial if the accused regains sanity.
Despite the verdict, Ishaka John remains on remand. State Counsel Praneta Seeraj and State Counsel Padma Dubraj prosecuted the case, with Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes and associates leading his defense.
The case has raised questions about the mental health aspect of criminal trials and will continue to be a matter of legal scrutiny as it progresses further in the judicial process.
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