Former GDF Chief-of-Staff Gary Best walks free on DUI charge

Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 February 2021, 16:42 by Denis Chabrol

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Former Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Retired Rear Admiral, Mr. Gary Best was Wednesday freed on a driving under the influence charge by Magistrate Mr. Clive Nurse presiding at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Magistrate Mr. Nurse upheld the no-case submissions made by Best’s lawyers, Mr. Nigel Hughes and Associates. The Magistrate said that the prosecution failed to established that Best’s blood alcohol concentration exceeded the legal limit at the time he was driving.

The DUI charge against Mr. Best was filed after he was involved in an accident on February 8, 2020, which resulted in the death of Mr. Jude Bentley, a former national cyclist. Last year December, Magistrate Ms. Rondel Weever dismissed the causing death by dangerous driving charge against the former army chief. In doing so, she cited insufficient evidence.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mrs. Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, has since filed an appeal asking that the decision of Magistrate Ms. Weever be set aside. Mr Best had publicly expressed remorse for the death of Mr. Bentley. After the accident, he had opted out of A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change’s campaign for the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections.