SWAT officer Constable Sherwin Peters was on Wednesday unanimously found guilty of manslaughter by a jury in the High Court in Essequibo for the 2021 fatal shooting of 29-year-old Dartmouth businessman Orin Boston.
The verdict was delivered before Justice Sandil Kissoon, bringing an end to the trial of the 34-year-old member of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit.
Peters had been on trial for fatally shooting Boston during a controversial early-morning raid on the Essequibo Coast.
Peters, who represented himself during the trial, was previously granted $1 million bail following his arraignment in the Magistrates’ Court.
The incident occurred on September 15, 2021, during an anti-crime operation carried out by heavily armed SWAT officers at Boston’s home in Dartmouth, Region Two.
The raid targeted two houses located in the same yard.
Police claimed that there had been a “confrontation” between Boston and officers, resulting in Peters discharging his weapon.
However, this account was strongly disputed by Boston’s wife, who maintained that her husband was shot while lying in bed.
Boston was pronounced dead at the Suddie Public Hospital shortly after the incident.
The prosecution, led by State Counsel Latifah Elliot, called several witnesses throughout the trial to support its case against Peters.
The jury ultimately returned a unanimous guilty verdict.
Peters now awaits sentencing, which is scheduled for July 10, 2025, before Justice Kissoon. In the meantime, he has been remanded to prison.
