Alvin Kissoon and Calvin King, who were both on trial for the murder of security guard John Friday, were this afternoon found guilty of the crime following deliberations by a jury. The two murder convicts were remanded to prison; they return to court on Thursday, December 12, 2019, for sentencing.
State Prosecutors Abigail Gibbs and Mandel Moore said that Kissoon and King left Georgetown for Lethem where they carried out a robbery on the Lethem Post Office which is housed in the same building as the Regional Democratic Council. Based on previous reports, the men entered the post office and tied up its two defenseless security guards after beating them.
They then broke into safes using a cutting torch. Police later discovered the body of Friday, formerly of Culvert City, Lethem, while the other watchman was severely injured. Friday was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Following the robbery, all police divisions were notified, and later that day, police ranks at the Mabura checkpoint stopped and searched a motor car during which over $4M was found hidden under the rear seat. They also found other articles linked to the crime.
Kissoon and King had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that between January 18 and 19, 2013, in the county of Essequibo, they murdered Friday, during the course of a robbery. During their trial, Kissoon and King were represented by lawyers Lyndon Amsterdam and Adrian Thompson, respectively.
They were on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the High Court in Georgetown.
