Justice Winston Patterson yesterday imposed a five-year jail sentence on George Moore, who had confessed to killing an intruder.
The ruling followed a probation report by Senior Probation and Welfare Officer Forbes Munroe, who said Moore, 48, expressed regret for having caused someone’s death. The incident, which took place at his Lot 58 Princeton, Corriverton home in 2007, was his first brush with the law, the probation officer reported, noting that neighbours had testified that he was a calm and peace-loving person.
Narrating the facts of the case last week State Counsel Dionne McCammon informed that on December 13, 2007, at about 04:00hrs, Moore awoke and went outside his home to answer a call of nature. Moore was armed with a cutlass — a usual practice — and observed that there was a trespasser in his fenced yard. On questioning the uninvited visitor about his reason for being in the yard, Moore was told by the intruder that he was there for a drink of water. The man rushed after Moore.
According to McCammon, the now deceased Umarnauth Ramessar, 34, who had a wall mat and another unidentifiable object in his possession, was dealt several chops and as he tried to escape, Moore pursued him and continued wounding hm. The man subsequently jumped over the fence and fell unconscious on the other side.
The unemployed man Ramessar was taken to the Skeldon Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. An autopsy report prepared by Dr Vivikanand Brijmohan revealed that death was due to shock and haemorrhage and multiple incised wounds
In a mitigation plea, state-appointed defence attorney Ian Anamayah said Moore had no option but to defend himself, his family and his home.
Referring to the deposition of Detective Constable Eman Fordyce, Anamayah noted that Ramessar admitted that he went into Moore’s yard and removed a carpet.
Questioned by the court, Moore explained that he had moved to the area three weeks prior to the incident and it was customary for him to be armed with his cutlass because the area was surrounded by “bad people.”
However, summarising the evidence prior to imposing the sentence, the judge told Moore that if his intention was to stop the intruder he would have given him one chop. “Your situation here today would have been different,” the judge said. But he noted that the intruder was fleeing. “You continued although the person did not pose a threat. You were not turned off psychologically as you are not a door knob, you continued relentlessly.” The judge further noted that the post mortem report detailed several injuries. “You chopped him all over. Looking at this report, you must agree that you must serve some time,” he said.
Closing his notebook, the judge told Moore that he had already written his sentence, and asked if he [the prisoner] could say how much it was.
Moore responded, “Five years, sir.”
Justice Patterson replied, “You have guessed rightly.”
