By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Twenty-two-year-old Hoesela Harris appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Monday, where he was formally arraigned for the capital offense of murder.
Harris was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which alleges that on December 21, 2025, at Plum Park, Sophia, Georgetown, he unlawfully caused the death of 27-year-old taxi driver and father of two, Xavier Fraser. Following the arraignment, Harris was remanded back to prison until his next scheduled court appearance on July 15, 2026, pending the submission of further evidentiary statements.
The state’s case paints a grim picture of the late-night attack, which occurred at approximately 22:36 hrs near Mercy Wing in Plum Park. According to a post-mortem examination report, Fraser was targeted in an execution-style killing, sustaining a single, fatal gunshot wound to the head. A 19-year-old bystander was also struck and severely injured during the volley of gunfire.
Harris initially fell under intensive police scrutiny following a brazen armed robbery committed on Chapel Street, Lodge. Using the state’s advanced Smart City surveillance network, technical operators successfully tracked a black Toyota Auris connected to the Lodge getaway car.
Tactical ranks subsequently intercepted the vehicle on Eping Avenue, Bel Air. Upon cornering the car, Harris allegedly brandished a firearm at the intercepting officers. Law enforcement ranks responded with justifiable force, shooting Harris in the thigh to neutralize the threat. Under heavy armed guard, Harris was treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) before being discharged into police custody.
Following deep forensic analysis and ballistic cross-matching, investigators successfully linked Harris directly to the crime scene evidence recovered from the Sophia murder. Aside from the murder indictment, Harris now faces a litany of major criminal charges, including armed robbery, the attempted murder of the 19-year-old bystander, and the unlawful possession of a firearm and matching ammunition. The judicial process will continue next month as prosecutors prepare to hand over complete disclosure files.
