THE February criminal sessions of the Berbice Assizes closed prematurely yesterday, due to the absence of 13 persons who were to face trial through June.

Justice Winston Patterson was only able to dispose of the two cases, one in which Alfred Campbell was convicted of murdering his stepson, Travis Cleon Scott called ‘Black Boy’, at Liverpool, Corentyne, between January 22 and 23, 2004 and the other which saw 17-year-old Kevin Kingston acquitted of raping a girl, 13, at Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, in 2005.

The absent 13 accused had been granted bail and arrest warrants were issued for them since 2005 and 2006.

They are:

* Mark Giddings committed to stand trial for manslaughter on October 26, 1993;

* Jameer Khan Rasool, another manslaughter accused whose committal was done on April 12, 1994;

* Deoraj Ramkellawan, who was bound over on April 11, 2004, to be tried for causing grievous bodily harm with intent;

* Simon Hardle, who faces three counts for attempted rape, indecent assault and assault causing actual bodily harm on June 10, 1999;

* Dhanraj Kumar, also committed for manslaughter on July 24, 2000;

* Rama Babulall, committed for manslaughter, as well, on July 24, 2000;

* Sherwyn Aaron, committed on August 3, 2000, for simple larceny and possession of firearms and ammunition without licences;

* Nigel Small, committed on August 29, 2000, on two counts of falsification of accounts, three counts of embezzlement by judicial document and three counts of larceny of judicial document;

* Walter Scott, committed on October 1, 2000, for carnal knowledge of a girl between the ages of 12 and 13 old;

* Carlton Haynes, committed on November 20, 2000, for manslaughter;

* Badrinauth Budhram called ‘Beesham’, committed on December 27, 2001, for rape;

* Newton Hope, committed on March 21, 2003, for manslaughter and

* Toney Ramraj nicknamed ‘Boyee’, committal date not stated, for murder.

Meanwhile, last Friday, Justice Patterson refused bail to Nigel Henry alias ‘Zap’, who is awaiting trial on two counts of robbery under arms, attempt to commit a felony, attempted murder and possession of a firearm and ammunition without licences.

All the offences are alleged on June 23, 2007, at Ma Retraite, Gangoo Creek and Belle Vue, all on East Bank Berbice.