After nearly seven years of legal uncertainty, Vishal “Boyo” Jeenarine was unanimously acquitted of an attempted murder charge by a Berbice High Court jury on Tuesday, bringing a long and difficult chapter in his life to a close.
Jeenarine had been accused of attacking Derrick Drepaul outside a wedding house in Bush Lot Village, Region Six (East Berbice–Corentyne), on May 5, 2018. The prosecution alleged that Drepaul was struck multiple times with pieces of wood, leaving him critically injured.
Presiding over the trial, Justice Deborah Kumar-Chetty reminded jurors of the fundamental principle of criminal law: the burden of proof rests entirely with the prosecution, and the accused bears no obligation to prove his innocence.
During the trial, Jeenarine testified in his own defense, firmly denying any involvement in the attack. He maintained that he did not strike Drepaul and did not wield any weapon, including a brick or piece of wood. Jeenarine indicated that his sister arrived at the scene and urged him to leave before he returned home.
His account was supported by his sister, Genita Jeenarine, who testified that she was present at the wedding house that night. While she acknowledged that she did not witness every moment of the incident, she stressed that her testimony was consistent with what she previously provided at the Magistrate’s Court.
The prosecution’s case relied heavily on the testimony of Derrick Drepaul, who stated he knew Jeenarine from the community but had no prior disputes with him. Drepaul testified that after attending the wedding house with friends and relatives, he was attacked while leaving. He alleged that Jeenarine struck him with a piece of wood, causing him to fall, and then attacked him again after his brother-in-law attempted to help him up. Drepaul reported losing consciousness after the second blow.
Describing one piece of wood as approximately three feet long and two and a half inches in diameter, he also mentioned another with a square edge. Drepaul later awoke at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was treated for severe head injuries, including the loss of a portion of the right side of his skull. He spent two weeks hospitalized and received ongoing medical treatment for about a year.
Under cross-examination, Drepaul admitted that the incident occurred on the street in front of the house, not on a bridge as previously suggested. He also acknowledged that between 20 and 30 people were present at the scene, and his friends were not nearby during the attack.
In her summation, Justice Kumar-Chetty highlighted several inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case, noting variations in witness testimony regarding the location of the incident, lighting conditions, the number of persons present, and how the injuries were inflicted. The judge urged the jury to carefully assess whether these discrepancies affected the reliability of the evidence.
After deliberating, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty, formally discharging Jeenarine of all charges and bringing visible relief to him and his family.
