By Leroy Smith
Robert Benn, the businessman who opened fire on two persons while they were turning their vehicle on his bridge, was this morning remanded to prison when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court charged with the shooting death of 23-year-old, Colin Perrier and the injury of his female friend Gailann Chacon.
The court heard that on August 23 in Tucville, Benn murdered Colin Perrier. He was slapped with another charge of discarding a loaded firearm with an attempt to commit murder.
He was not required to plead to the indictable charge and was remanded to prison until September 16 when the police will inform what is the status of their investigation. Once they are ready to proceed with the preliminary inquiry, it will commence on September 19.
Benn, through his attorney, conveyed to the court that he sincerely regrets the consequences of his action, which was unfortunate.
He also asked the court to caution the media on its reporting of the matter. According to the lawyer, while he admits that the media has its job to do, over-exuberance in reporting on the matter, as he claims has been the case over the past few days.
This, he said has caused the public to have the wrong perception of what really took place on that night and the reasons for his client’s action.
Smith told the court that among the persons who made some very damning comments, was Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who he said ought to have known better, as well as several senior members of the Guyana Police Force.
Last week Acting Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine referred to the action of the accused as a “murderous murder.”
The attorney said his client was at the time engaging in an act which could be determined as self-defense, but according to him, hs client was charged with murder and attempted murder based on public comments made by Minister Ramjattan and other senior officers.
The lawyer regarded the investigation thus far as sloppy.
The court heard that the businessman, was in the past threatened and living in fear and had even planned to move from the location.
He said when he saw the car approaching his bridge, after making a few slow passes in the area, he thought that the persons who were threatening him had arrived to make good on their threats.
Last week Perrier and Chacon were in the vehicle and were about to head to Chacon’s relatives when they decided to turn on the bridge when Benn opened fire.
