The manslaughter trial of Constable Sherwin Peters, a member of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, is underway before Justice Sandil Kissoon in the High Court in Essequibo.
Peters, 34, is accused of fatally shooting 29-year-old Dartmouth businessman Orin Boston during a 2021 police raid on the Essequibo Coast.
Peters, who is unrepresented by legal counsel, was previously granted $1 million bail following his arraignment in the Magistrates’ Court.
He now stands trial for his role in the early-morning operation that ended in Boston’s death.
According to reports, on September 15, 2021, a team of heavily armed SWAT officers raided Boston’s property in Dartmouth, Region Two.
The operation, which was part of an anti-crime initiative, involved two houses located in the same yard.
During the search, the police said, there was a “confrontation” between Boston and the police, resulting in him being shot—an account refuted by his wife.
Boston was later pronounced dead at the Suddie Public Hospital.
The prosecution, led by State Counsel Latifah Elliot, has begun calling witnesses to establish its case against Peters.
The trial is scheduled to continue next week before Justice Kissoon.
