A man who falsely claimed that his two children died in the MV Barima tragedy has been remanded to prison. Jermaine English appeared before Magistrate Orinthia Schmidt at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where the charge of making a false claim was read to him. It is alleged that between August 17 and 18, 2026, the 50-year-old man made a false claim to the Public Works Ministry that two of his children died in the MV Barima tragedy which occurred on July 18. The Tuschen New Housing Scheme resident was not required to plea to the indictable charge. The prosecution in objecting to bail pointed to the seriousness of the offence.

Magistrate Schmidt upheld the prosecution’s submissions and remanded English to prison. The case will continue on September 16. On July 18, the MV Barima departed the Georgetown stelling at about 15:00h on its scheduled voyage to Port Kaituma, North West District, carrying 179 persons, including 18 crew members and cargo. According to officials, the vessel encountered rough sea conditions off the Essequibo Coast near the mouth of the Pomeroon River late that night and capsized. A distress signal transmitted at approximately 23:01h was received by aviation authorities, triggering a large-scale multi-agency emergency response that continues. However, following the incident, the captain and a crew member tested positive for cannabis use and were subsequently arrested. Later, the goods Superintendent was arrested. Subsequently, in its initial probe, it was uncovered that more people were aboard the vessel than had been recorded on the original passenger manifest. To date, while 73 bodies were pulled from the wreckage.

Police have since instituted murder charges against 40-year-old Kevin Price, also called “KP”, the boat Captain of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara (ECD); Rondell Dwayne Roberts, 42, Chief Mate of Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD); and Delon Granderson, 33, Goods superintendent of Fellowship, West Coast Demerara (WBD).