A man who unlawfully had a firearm and a quantity of ammunition in his possession on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway was yesterday sentenced to six years imprisonment when he appeared before Magistrate Priya Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Balram Bharrat accepted that on November 20 on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, he had in his possession one 12-gauge shotgun without being the holder of a firearm licence.
He also accepted that on the same day, he had in his possession two live rounds of shotgun cartridges without a licence.
Bharrat was charged with discharging a loaded firearm on November 20 on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway at Anthony Bacchus with intent to maim, disfigure or cause grievous bodily harm to the said Anthony Bacchus.
The defendant was not required to plead to the indictable charge of discharging a loaded firearm when it was read to him by the magistrate.
The prosecutor told the court that on the day in question Bharrat and the VC were drinking when an argument erupted between them. According to the prosecutor, the quarrel escalated and Bacchus was shot in his head by Bharrat.
The prosecutor said Bacchus was still a patient in an unconscious state in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Considering the serious nature of the injury to Bacchus, the prosecutor made an application for the defendant to be remanded to prison.
Bharrat, who was initially told that he was sentenced to three years imprisonment, was visibly shocked to learn that the sentence was on each count and would not be served concurrently.
The magistrate clarified that the three-year sentences will run consecutively. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $75,000.
Additionally, he was remanded to prison on the indictable charge of discharging the loaded firearm and will make the next court appearance on December 28 at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.
As he was being escorted from the courtroom, Bharrat kept shaking his head in disbelief.
