Williams charged, remanded for murder

Steve Williams, also known as “Short Man,” has been charged and remanded to prison for the murder of Dexter France, also known as “Chiney,” which occurred last Sunday.

Police arrested Williams on Monday at a checkpoint in Itaballi. He appeared at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court on Thursday to answer to the charge of murder: Contrary to Common Law. Williams was not required to plead and was remanded to prison. The case will be heard again on July 10, 2025.

The incident took place at a gold mining campsite located at Wrong Turn Backdam, Puruni River, Region Seven. According to a police release, Williams and France, who were both working at the campsite, were reportedly involved in an argument. During the altercation, Williams allegedly armed himself with a cutlass and inflicted a fatal chop wound to France’s chest.

Police visited and processed the scene, and the body of the deceased was transported to the Bartica Regional Hospital, and later to Memorial Gardens Funeral Home for a post-mortem examination.

On Wednesday, government pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh conducted the post-mortem examination on France’s body and determined the cause of death to be a “chop wound to the chest.”