By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — In a dramatic and controversial escalation of the M.V. Barima disaster investigation, the vessel’s captain and two senior crew members have been jointly charged with 72 counts of murder—one for each life lost when the state-operated ferry capsized off the Essequibo Coast.
The charges were formally read before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, weeks before the newly appointed five-member international Commission of Inquiry (COI) has convened to take evidence.
The Accused Crew Members
The three senior personnel placed on remand are:
- Kevin Price (40), called “KP”: Captain of the M.V. Barima, residing at Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara.
- Rondell Dwayne Roberts (42): Chief Mate, residing at Meadow Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara.
- Delon Granderson (33): Transport and Harbours Department (TH&D) Goods Superintendent, residing at Fellowship, West Coast Demerara.
[ INDICTMENT AND LEGAL REMAND SUMMARY ]
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[ Criminal Charges ] [ Court Proceedings ]
- 72 counts of indictable murder - Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman presiding
- Filed prior to COI evidence hearings - No pleas required (indictable charges)
- Accused remanded to prison until August 3 - Transfer to Charity Magistrate's Court
Captain Echoes Operational Warnings; Legal Observers Raise Concerns
Moments before being escorted into the lockups, Captain Kevin Price spoke out to reporters, publicly echoing survivor accounts regarding severe mechanical faults, engine stalls, and vessel instability prior to departure.
The decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Guyana Police Force to institute murder charges—rather than standard maritime negligence or manslaughter charges—has sparked intense debate across the legal fraternity:
“The government promised a comprehensive, independent Commission of Inquiry to unearth the facts, yet murder charges have been filed before expert naval reports have even been tested in court,” legal observers noted. “Moving ahead of the COI fact-finding process raises serious questions regarding witness availability, sub judice restrictions, and potential scapegoating of lower-level personnel.”
The three defendants were not required to enter pleas to the capital offenses and were remanded to prison until August 3, 2026, when the matter is scheduled to continue before the Charity Magistrate’s Court.
