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Defence attorney challenges speed of investigation and raises concerns over upcoming Commission of Inquiry

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Three men connected to the MV Barima ferry disaster have been remanded to prison after Guyana Police filed 72 murder charges arising from the deadly July 18 maritime tragedy.

Captain Kevin Price, 40; Chief Mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts, 42; and Transport and Harbours Department loading official Delon Granderson, 33, appeared before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, July 28.

The charges were formally read, but the men were not required to enter pleas because the alleged offences are indictable. The matter was transferred to the Charity Magistrate’s Court and adjourned until August 3, 2026. Police said the charges were filed after legal advice was received from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The MV Barima, an 87-year-old state-operated ferry, sank while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. Authorities estimate that approximately 179 passengers and crew members were aboard the vessel.

The latest official figures indicate that 73 people have died, 76 survived and another 30 remain unaccounted for.

CAPTAIN SPEAKS OUT AT COURTHOUSE

Price became emotional while being escorted into court and questioned why he was facing murder charges.

“I don’t deserve this,” he said while calling on God for help.

The captain claimed the vessel had several longstanding problems, including the absence of radar and a search-and-rescue transponder. He also alleged that concerns surrounding the ferry had been known since 2022.

Those statements have not been tested before the court.

Roberts and Granderson remained silent during their court appearance. Granderson was reportedly responsible for supervising the loading operation before the vessel departed.

The captain and another crew member had been detained after the government said medical examinations reportedly found traces of narcotics in their systems following their rescue. Prime Minister Mark Phillips previously stated that the captain was among two crew members who tested positive for marijuana.

Authorities also discovered that several people rescued from the ferry were not recorded on the official passenger manifest, raising further questions about the exact number of people aboard.

DEFENCE DEMANDS EARLY DISCLOSURE

Attorney Dexter Todd, who is representing the accused, said the defence will seek early disclosure of the prosecution’s evidence.

Todd questioned how investigators intend to establish that the ferry was overloaded, particularly after government officials initially stated that the vessel’s recorded cargo remained within its approved capacity.

He also pointed to official indications that recovering the ferry from the seabed may not be possible because of its location, poor underwater visibility and hazardous diving conditions.

“How do they hope to establish the weight of that boat?” Todd asked while speaking to reporters.

The attorney argued that an investigation of such complexity could not have been properly completed within such a brief period. He said the defence intends to raise preliminary legal arguments when the case returns to court on August 3.

Todd further alleged that the decision to charge the men could affect their ability to participate freely in the government-appointed Commission of Inquiry.

“The primary person who will have to talk is the captain of the vessel,” Todd said, arguing that Price would be a central witness before the inquiry.

The attorney’s assertions represent the position of the defence and have not been determined by a court.

INDEPENDENT INQUIRY ANNOUNCED

President Irfaan Ali has announced a five-member Commission of Inquiry consisting of international legal and maritime experts. Its mandate is expected to examine the ferry’s loading, maintenance, safety procedures, passenger records, crew conduct and the wider management of Guyana’s state ferry operations.

Survivors have reportedly raised concerns that the vessel was carrying excessive passengers and cargo and had been taking in water. Those allegations will form part of the inquiry and have not yet been established as fact.

Officials have maintained that the vessel was certified as seaworthy and was operating within its required maintenance cycle before the disaster.

The three accused remain legally presumed innocent unless and until the charges against them are proven beyond a reasonable doubt in court.