Minibus driver remanded on terrorism charges 

A 35-year-old minibus driver was on Wednesday remanded to prison after being charged in connection with the bombings at the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost and the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) substation on 17 May.

The accused, Seon Carmichael of Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara, appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where he was formally charged with facilitating acts of terrorism. He was not required to plead to the indictable offences.

According to court documents, Carmichael allegedly assisted in the planning and execution of the attacks, which occurred between 15 and 17 May 2025. The court heard that he transported the attackers to and from the locations and purchased bolts used in assembling the explosive devices.

During the hearing, defence attorney Everton Singh-Lammy applied for bail, arguing that his client acted under duress. Singh-Lammy said one of the suspects — a Venezuelan national married to Carmichael’s cousin — threatened to kill him and his family if he did not cooperate or report the matter to the police.

The defence further warned of risks to Carmichael’s life while in custody, citing alleged connections the suspects may have “on the inside”.

However, Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones strongly objected to bail, asserting that Carmichael was fully aware of his actions and failed to alert law enforcement until after he was detained. Prosecutor Jones emphasised the gravity of the offence, citing threats to public safety and national security.

Magistrate McGusty subsequently denied bail and remanded Carmichael to prison until 18 June 2025.

The police have since issued wanted bulletins for three additional suspects connected to the attacks. Their identities are yet to be officially confirmed.

The first bombing occurred around 1:00 am on 17 May, targeting the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost located at Vlissengen Square and East Front Road. A police constable reported hearing two loud explosions, followed by flying debris. The blast severely damaged the southern wall of the building and destroyed a metal gate.

Around the same time, a second explosion struck the GPL substation at Mandela Avenue, which also suffered structural damage.

Investigators recovered bolts, nuts, and shattered plastic from the scenes — components believed to have been used in the makeshift explosives.