Shaquille Grant walks free in murder of Sophia bread vendor

Shaquille Grant, who was in prison for the past two years, walked out of the Demerara High Court a free man on Monday, after being acquitted of the murder of Sophia bread vendor Andre Melroy Alexander.

Grant, 22, formally of ‘B’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was on trial before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury.

The indictment against Grant stated that on May 5, 2017, at ‘C’ Field Sophia, he murdered 42-year- Alexander during a robbery.

According to reports, Alexander was a bread vendor and had a stand at ‘C’ Field Sophia.

It was claimed that on the day in question at about 20:30 hrs, Grant, along with another man, rode up to Alexander’s stand on a CG motorcycle and shot the bread vendor to his chest.

The men reportedly relieved the vendor of an undisclosed sum of cash and made good their escape.

Alexander was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he died while receiving treatment.

Grant was represented by attorney-at-law, Nigel Hughes while prosecutors Teriq Mohammed, Tuanna Hardy and Sarah Martin represented the State.

After prosecutor Mohammed closed his case, attorney Nigel Hughes made a no-case submission, citing that the prosecution failed to prove their case against his client.

Justice Singh upheld the no-case submission and urged the jury to return a not guilty verdict.