The paper committal proceedings in the October 2025 Mobil Service Station bombing are entering their final stages, with the prosecution expected to complete the presentation of its evidence when the matter resumes next week.
At Thursday’s hearing before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, the court was told that only a small portion of the prosecution’s case remains to be tendered.
“We are close to completion of the tendering of the documents. Hopefully, next Wednesday we can complete,” the magistrate said before adjourning the matter until Wednesday, July 8, at 1:30 p.m.
The proceedings are part of a paper committal, during which the magistrate is reviewing documentary, forensic and digital evidence to determine whether the prosecution has established a prima facie case for the four accused to stand trial before the Demerara High Court.
During Thursday’s sitting, the prosecutor continued to present video exhibits collected during the investigation.
Among the material reviewed by the court were recordings showing the aftermath of the explosion at the Mobil Service Station at the corner of Regent and King Streets, as well as video-recorded police interviews with several individuals connected to the investigation.
The exhibits included an interview conducted with accused Jennifer Rodriguez at the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters, a recorded interview with former accused Ramesh Pramdeo, videos from police investigators and footage recorded inside a house and what appeared to be a bar.
The latest evidence adds to an extensive case file that has been placed before the court since the paper committal began on June 8.
Over the course of the proceedings, Senior Police Legal Advisor Mandel Moore has presented hundreds of pages of evidence on behalf of the State, including eyewitness statements, surveillance footage, forensic reports, post-mortem findings, DNA analyses prepared by specialists in India, medical records and other exhibits gathered during the investigation.
Before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts are Venezuelan nationals Daniel Alexander Ramirez Poedemo, Alexander Bettencourt and Jhonny Boodram, along with Guyanese-Venezuelan Krystal LaCruz. All four remain on remand.
Poedemo is alleged to have planted and detonated an explosive device at the service station in what prosecutors describe as a terrorist attack that claimed the life of a six-year-old child.
Prosecutors contend that the explosion was intended to threaten Guyana’s security and create terror among the public. Bettencourt, Boodram and LaCruz are accused of aiding and abetting the alleged offence.
The four accused were not required to enter pleas to the indictable terrorism charges. They remain on remand and are represented by their respective attorneys.
The charges stem from the October 26, 2025 explosion, which claimed the life of six-year-old Soraya Bourne, injured several members of her family and caused extensive damage to nearby businesses and vehicles.
The case has already seen several developments. In April, Magistrate Alisha George of the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, discharged Pramdeo and Guyanese Wayne Correia after finding that the evidence presented against them was insufficient to support the terrorism charges. However, their co-accused, Venezuelan national Jennifer Rodriguez, was committed to stand trial in the High Court after the court found that a prima facie case had been established against her.
In her ruling, Magistrate George determined that the evidence against Pramdeo and Correia raised only suspicion and did not establish that either man had knowledge of, or intentionally assisted, any alleged terrorist plot.
Rodriguez remains on remand pending the hearing and determination of her trial before the Demerara High Court.The Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts proceedings now focus on the remaining accused. Once the prosecution formally closes its case, Acting Chief Magistrate McGusty will consider whether the evidence is sufficient to commit the remaining four accused to stand trial before a judge and jury.
If convicted under Guyana’s anti-terrorism legislation, the accused could face the death penalty. The Government has previously stated that it intends to pursue capital punishment in terrorism cases where an attack results in the loss of life.
The paper committal was adjourned to Wednesday, July 8, 2026, when the prosecution is expected to conclude the presentation of its evidence.
