A police officer assigned to the SWAT Unit will spend the next 25 years in prison for the killing of Essequibo businessman Orin Boston, who was shot dead in his bed during a controversial early-morning operation in 2021.
Thirty-four-year-old Sherwin Peters, who was convicted of manslaughter two weeks ago, was sentenced on Wednesday by Justice Sandil Kissoon, who described the incident as a grave abuse of police power and a breach of public trust.Boston, a father and respected figure in his community, was asleep next to his wife when Peters, one of 12 heavily armed officers conducting the raid, opened fire.
The team had no arrest warrant, no search warrant, and no legal authority to be in the home, the court heard.“Unlawful, unreasonable, unjustified, disproportionate, and excessive”—that was how Justice Kissoon described Peters’ use of lethal force. He said the businessman posed no threat, was unarmed, and had been targeted in his most vulnerable state—while asleep.
The Judge also criticised the SWAT Unit, which is specially trained to handle high-risk situations, saying their conduct fell far below the standards expected of them. The operation, he noted, lacked the caution, restraint, and professionalism required of elite law enforcement officers.
Peters had claimed there was a confrontation that led to the shooting, but this was contradicted by fellow officers and investigators from the Police Criminal Investigations Department.
In court, the State Prosecutor acknowledged that the widow of Orin Boston had been compensated by the State following a civil lawsuit. The Prosecutor asked that this be considered a mitigating factor.
However, Justice Kissoon rejected that request, noting that the payment came from taxpayers and not from Peters himself. He said the officer was fortunate to have been charged with manslaughter and not murder.
The 25-year sentence will be reduced by the time Peters has already spent in custody since the verdict was handed down.Boston’s killing on September 15, 2021, sparked widespread protests and national outrage. The charge against Peters came four months after the fatal shooting.
The ruling closes a painful chapter for Boston’s family, who have waited nearly three years for justice.
