The 2025 Criminal Assizes for the Essequibo region officially commenced on May 20 with 85 serious criminal cases set for hearing at the High Court in Suddie, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), with rape of a child under 16 topping the list.
Justice Navindra Singh is presiding over the session. The cases listed for trial span a wide range of serious criminal offences, including murder, manslaughter, attempted murder, and rape.
These criminal trials are part of the routine functions of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), which is responsible for presenting indictments at the High Courts in all three counties: Demerara, Berbice, and Essequibo.
For each Assizes session, the DPP assigns state counsel and/or special prosecutors to lead prosecutions before the presiding judge.
The criminal justice calendar features four assizes per year in Demerara and three each in Berbice and Essequibo. These sessions often run concurrently across the three counties.
Demerara, being the most populated and geographically expansive region, typically sees a higher volume of cases.
Beyond courtroom prosecutions, the DPP’s responsibilities include examining committal records and providing legal guidance to the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU), and other government agencies.
The DPP also negotiates plea bargain agreements upon request after carefully reviewing the facts surrounding each case.
Individuals awaiting trial, as well as others involved in criminal matters, have the right to write to the DPP’s office if they believe police investigations have been inadequate.
Attorneys representing accused persons frequently contact the DPP to raise concerns about their client’s cases, and appropriate action is taken where necessary.
Moreover, complaints about police misconduct received by the DPP’s office are forwarded to the Commissioner of Police and the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) for further investigation.
Persons can also report such misconduct directly to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).
