Booed James Bond says MV Barima’s captain, others can challenge murder charges

Last Updated on Thursday, 6 August 2026, 20:23 by Denis Chabrol

Despite sustained jeers by opposition activists and concerned residents of Melanie Damishana that one of their villagers has been charged with the murder of 72 passengers and crew who were aboard the MV Barima, government parliamentarian James Bond said the accused could seek a High Court review.

“If you disagree with whatever decision an administrative or judicial person would have made, there is recourse in the law. The lawyers ask for a judicial review of the DPP’s (Director of Public Prosecutions) decision and then she would have to come to the court and says how would you arrive at this decision,” he said.

The prosecution is yet to complete disclosure of all of the facts about the murder charges against Kevin Price called “KP”, 40, of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara; the chief mate, Rondell Dwayne Roberts, 42, of Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara, and the goods superintendent, Delon Granderson, 33, of Fellowship West Coast Demerara.  In response to concerns that the charge was premature and lacked any basis because there was no intent, a key feature of a murder charge, he said that based on police investigations after which the file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who applied case law from other countries.

Mr Bond, a lawyer,  acknowledged that he was pained by the murder charge instituted on Mr Price, his fellow villager, but sought to justify it by drawing a parallel with causing death by dangerous driving. “I am saying they have to be charged, as a matter of law,” he said as several other persons shouted “boo, boo, boo.”

“If he was driving a bus, a bicycle, a  motorcycle and somebody died, he would have been arrested and charged… which is causing death by dangerous driving” a former executive member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) who switched political allegiance to the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) ahead of last September’s general and regional elections. Reacting to concerns about the charging of the trio, Mr Bond queried whether they would have preferred to see the men remain free in light of more than 100 persons having lost their lives. Seventy-six others were rescued. Mr Bond said “I can’t answer that” whether the captain and first mate of the MV Barima as well as the Goods Superintendent had set out in their minds to kill 72 persons. “I was not in the mind of Kevin. I was not in his mind. I was not on the vessel. I don’t know of enough facts to form a view. I would not even dare go there,” he said. Prime Minister Mark Phillips, however, said he did not believe that the men had set out to kill anyone.

Earlier, Mr Bond said the murder accused would have the right to remain silent before the five-member Commission of Inquiry but he believed that it would to their advantage to testify. “In my estimation, them speaking to the Commission of Inquiry would help them,” he said.

Government has advertised for a company, with the ability to preserve forensic evidence, to salvage MV Barima for the commission of inquiry.