HGP Nightly News – Marlon Da Silva will stand trial for murder after a magistrate ruled that key issues surrounding the killing of his wife must be decided by a jury. Presiding at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court, Dylon Bess committed Da Silva to stand trial at the next sitting of the assizes for the murder of Kenesha Juman Vaughn.
Da Silva is charged with killing his wife on Sunday, February 23, 2025. At the close of the preliminary inquiry, defence attorneys mounted a strong push for Da Silva to be committed for manslaughter instead, arguing that the prosecution’s evidence does not establish the intent required for a murder charge.
The defence contended that the incident arose out of sudden provocation, relying heavily on Da Silva’s unsworn statement and video footage. According to the defence, the confrontation unfolded rapidly, leaving no cooling-off period and undermining any suggestion of premeditated intent.
They further argued that Caribbean case law supports a reduction from murder to manslaughter in circumstances where provocation and excessive force are present, unless there is clear proof of intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm. The defence also submitted that Guyanese law does not impose a duty to retreat in such situations.
Based on these arguments, the court was urged either to discharge Da Silva on grounds of self-defence or, alternatively, to commit him for manslaughter only. Magistrate Bess rejected those submissions, ruling that critical questions including the number of shots fired, the reasonableness of Da Silva’s response, and whether provocation existed are all matters properly reserved for a jury.
As a result, Da Silva was formally committed to stand trial for murder at the High Court.Da Silva is represented by attorneys Glenn Hanoman, Sanjeev Datadin, and Everton Singh-Lammy.
The prosecution was led by Kiswana Jefford and Nigel Hughes, appearing on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The case now moves to the assizes, where a jury will be tasked with weighing the competing narratives and determining whether the killing constitutes murder or a lesser offence.
