Emotional GDF Captain charged with wife’s Murder

An emotional Orwain Sandy during his court appearance

Georgetown: One week after a Captain of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) gunned down his reputed wife on the public road of First Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown, he was charged Friday with her murder when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Orwain Sandy was charged with the indictable offence of murder when the charge was read to him before Magistrate Judy Latchman.

An emotional Sandy in tears was not required to plea to the charge, which alleged that on March 31, he murdered Reona Payne.

Sandy, 36, who was a personal aide to the Chief of Staff of the GDF, Brigadier Patrick West, was remanded to prison until April 24.

Attorney-at-law, James Bond requested that Sandy is examined by an independent psychiatrist, who will be provided by the defence board.

Bond said that his client has been a psychiatric patient for the past two years.

Magistrate Latchman granted the request and Sandy is expected to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

One of Payne’s former co-workers spoke emotionally on the killing. “The coward makes me so angry. Now her children are motherless. He murdered her but gets the opportunity to turn himself into the police. I hope he gets a life sentence,” the coworker said.

It is alleged that Sandy used his service revolver during the shooting. Police sources also related that the soldier had on one occasion lodged his firearm at the Police Station during a domestic dispute.

One source explained that the soldier had suspected Reona Payne was being unfaithful and was conversing with someone from overseas.

It was reported that on Saturday, Sandy had planned to drop Payne off at her place of work when she received a phone call from the same person from overseas.

Dead: Reona Payne

When the soldier questioned her and asked her to desist from railroading their relationship she became abusive and an argument ensued, and in the vicinity of the masjid in First Street Alexander Village, Reona grabbed the soldier’s firearm and threw it out of the car.

According to the source, Sandy stopped the vehicle to retrieve the weapon and Payne exited too, and after picking up the gun he fired in her direction empting the entire magazine.

The Chief-of-Staff has ordered the Inspector-General of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)to conduct a Board of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The GDF sought to assure Guyanese that Sandy’s action does not mirror the image of other soldiers.

“The force is truly saddened by this occurrence and would want to reassure the general populace that this is an isolated incident and is not reflective of the values and standards of the Guyana Defence Force,” the army said.

The GDF has since extended sincerest condolences to the relatives of the late Reona Payne.