Elroy Withrite, also known as ‘Eddie’, will face sentencing on 15 October after pleading guilty to the killing of Andrew Drakes on 8 June 2019 at Farm, East Bank Essequibo.
The sentencing was initially scheduled for 17 September but was postponed following concerns regarding Withrite’s mental state. The court has since confirmed that he is mentally fit to proceed with sentencing.
According to court records, both Withrite and Drakes resided in the same village and were known to each other.
On the evening of 8 June 2019, at around 5:00 pm, the two were seen standing on Pump Station Street in Farm. Shortly after, a scream was heard, and Drakes was discovered lying face down in a pool of blood. Police reports revealed that Drakes had suffered multiple injuries, including wounds to the back of his head and both hands. Withrite was found at the scene holding a cutlass and was immediately arrested.
In a statement made under caution in the presence of his mother and police officers, Withrite admitted to attacking Drakes with a cutlass following an altercation the previous day.A post-mortem examination conducted by Dr Nehaul Singh on 12 June 2019 concluded that Drakes died from haemorrhage and shock as a result of multiple incised wounds.
The examination revealed that Drakes had sustained eight cuts during the attack.Justice Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus is expected to deliver Withrite’s sentence at the High Court in Demerara.
