Seven terrorism accused in gas station bombing remanded to prison

Last Updated on Wednesday, 5 November 2025, 19:45 by Writer

The seven persons, including the confessed gas station bomber, charged with terrorism were remanded to prison when they appeared in court on Wednesday.

Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty remanded Venezuelans 33-year-old Daniel Alexander Ramirez Poedemo, and Guyanese 44-year-old Alexander Bettancourt, 33-year-old and Johnny Boodram and 33-year-old Krystal La Cruz.

They were charged with engaging in a terrorist act by threatening the security and sovereignty of Guyana or to strike terror on the people by using an explosive substance to cause the death of Soraya Bourne on October 26 at the Mobil gas station, Regent and King streets, Georgetown.

Messrs Ramirez Poedemo and Bettancourt and Ms La Cruz were not represented by a lawyer.

Mr Ramirez Poedemo, according to police, confessed to detonating the device during the investigations.

The court further heard that Mr Boodram aided and abetted Mr Ramirez Poedemo with intent to commit the same offence.

Mr Boodram’s defence lawyer Nikel Puran told the Court that his client is a taxi driver and Ms La Cruz is his customer whom he usually picks up from a bar which she operates and takes her home. The lawyer said Mr Boodram had no knowledge of the circumstances leading to the offence.

Police legal adviser Mandel Moore, who appeared for the prosecution, objected to bail.

They were not required to plead to the indictable offence. Bail was refused and they were remanded to prison until November 12.

The other persons, 51-year-old Ramesh Pramdeo, 44-year-old Wayne Corriea and 33-year-old Jennifer Rodriguez, were charged with aiding and abetting Mr Ramirez Poedemo with intent to threaten the security and safety of Guyana to strike terror on the people by the use of an explosive substance by placing it at the gas station resulting in Bourne’s death.

Messrs Pramdeo and Correia and Ms Rodriguez appeared remotely before Leonora Magistrate Alisha George because they allegedly committed that offence in East Bank Essequibo, which falls in the West Demerara Magisterial District, between October 24 and 29, 2025.

The magistrate said a bail application would be considered then, but for now “this is a very serious offence and it has public safety issues.”

Defence Lawyer Bernard Da Silva made an unsuccessful bail application for Mr Pramdeo. They were remanded to prison until November 24, 2025.

The lawyer told the court that Mr Correia called Mr Pramdeo requesting that he transport two Venezuelan gold miners. Mr Pramdeo, according to the lawyer, collected the men at Parika and transported them to a hotel at Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara. Mr Da Silva said Mr Pramdeo was not the taxi driver who took them to Georgetown, was nowhere near the explosion, had no knowledge of the intent, no agreement, was not present and did not see the explosive device.

The lawyer said Mr Correia was in the Pomeroon when one of the persons, who is a “regular customer” conveyed a regular passenger. “The strength of the evidence does not support that there is a prima face case,” he said.