Shackled at his feet and dressed in a black and white shirt with blue jeans, 24-year-old West Ruimvelt resident, Brian Richards, was charged and remanded to jail today for the murder of well-known educator and actor, Kirwyn Mars aka “Sir Mars”.

The accused stood quietly before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Diamond Magistrates’ Court, as the murder charge was read to him. He was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge.

The murder charge was filed against him on the direction of the Director of Public Prosecutions, following the Police investigation into the gruesome crime. He has been remanded to jail until the 23rd June, when the case will be called again for the submission of statements.

The preliminary inquiry is expected to begin in August.

The accused was arrested at his Regent Street workplace on Tuesday after investigators were able to identify him based on video recordings from CCTV cameras that captured him and the educator leaving a city bar, less than an hour before the murder on Sunday night.

The two men shared a close friendship.

Investigators believe they were heading to the Mocha, East Bank Demerara home of 51-year-old “Sir Mars”, when they got into a fight in the educator’s car.

The educator was seen in the Perseverance community in a bloodied state running to the back of his car after suddenly exiting it.

One eyewitness reported that as the man made his way to the back of the vehicle, the vehicle reversed suddenly, pinning him underneath and against a concrete drain. The suspect was seen running from the car just after.

The post-mortem examination revealed that Mars died from crushing injuries in addition to multiple stab wounds. Eight stab wounds were discovered on his body.

The death of the popular teacher and actor sent shockwaves throughout the education and theatre fraternity, with many of his colleagues and present and past students remembering him as someone who was committed to education and the arts.

“Sir Mars” spent most of his teaching years at the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School, but was promoted to the position of Deputy Principal at the New Central Georgetown High School a few years ago.

Both schools will host nights of wake for him, in addition to similar events being hosted by the Teachers Union and the Public Service Cooperative Credit Union. He will be laid to rest on Tuesday.

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