Sexual Offences Dominate Caseload as Berbice Assizes Commence
The June 2026 Criminal Assizes for Berbice officially commenced on June 16, 2026, with 84 criminal matters scheduled to be heard before the Berbice High Court over the coming months. Notably, sexual offences constitute more than half of the cases, highlighting a significant concern within the region.
Opening Ceremony and Judicial Proceedings
The session began with a ceremonial parade by members of the Guyana Police Force outside the High Court in New Amsterdam. Presiding Judge Justice Simone Morris inspected the guard of honour and formally declared the session open. The Assizes are expected to continue until October, addressing a wide range of serious criminal matters, including rape, murder, manslaughter, attempted murder, armed robbery, and break-and-enter charges.
High-Profile Cases
Among the murder cases listed are several high-profile joint indictments. For instance, Krystal Thomas, Sinefine Henry, and Jameil Sinclair are jointly charged with murder, while Curtis Robertson, Kelon Cadogan, and Mark Sampson are also expected to stand trial together. Another joint murder matter involves Devendra Khemraj, Javed Ghanie, Ramzan Ally, Anil Angashalam, Vidnand Khemraj, and Gregory Tejpertab.
Focus on Sexual Offences
Given that sexual offences make up the single largest category of matters before the court this session, several such cases are expected to feature prominently. Robert Campbell faces four counts of sexual activity with a child family member, while Ravello Tyndall is before the court on allegations including rape of a child under the age of sixteen, sexual activity with a child under sixteen, and sexual assault.
Ongoing Trials and Prosecution
The retrial of Krishna Tulapersaud, which carried over from the February 2026 Assizes, remains ongoing before the court. Tulapersaud is facing two counts of sexual activity with a child family member, with proceedings expected to continue next week. Attorney-at-Law Marisa Edwards will appear on behalf of the State during the session as prosecutors seek to advance the substantial caseload before the court.
The prominence of sexual offence cases in the current Assizes underscores the pressing need for continued efforts to address and prevent such crimes within the community.
