Satrohan Mannaru was yesterday found guilty of murdering his 14-year-old ex-girlfriend abd was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.
The sentence was handed down by Justice Dawn Gregory at the Berbice Supreme Court, where Mannaru, 23, called ‘Andrew,’ was on trial for the murder of Indranie “Cynthia” Basdeo on Friday, October 7, 2011.
A 12-member mixed jury had earlier returned with a unanimous guilty verdict.
Although Mannaru was given the chance to make a final statement before his sentence, he declined. After the sentence was read out to him, his relatives began to weep and continued to do so as they exited the courtroom and the courtyard.
Basdeo was fatally stabbed by Mannaru on October 7, 2011, at the Mibicuri School Ground. She sustained a stab wound under her left breast and was later pronounced dead on arrival at the New Amsterdam Hospital.
During the month-long trial, 11 witnesses testified, including members of Basdeo’s family who were present when the attack occurred and law enforcement officers who conducted the investigations in the case.
A caution statement given by Mannaru to officers was used as evidence by prosecutor Renita Singh. “…Meh bin deh ah school sports at Mibicuri Primary School compound… meh see meh girlfriend Indranie Basdeo… Meh walk up to she and fine out why me an she not get along… she raise she hand fuh shove meh away. Meh tell she me sorry an me take out wan flick blade knife from me pocket and bore she wid it under she breast. Couple body come scramble me an’ take way de knife an’ police come an arress meh,” Mannaru was quoted as saying his statement to police.
His lawyers, Bernard De Santos, SC, and Pamela De Santos, had argued that the statement should not be used as evidence in the case since it was not attainted freely and voluntarily from Mannaru. Counsel had said investigators tricked their client into signing the statement by promising that he would be released to go to the hospital to see Basdeo.
Mannaru gave an unsworn statement from the docks, stating that he “accidentally” injured Basdeo and did not intend to murder her.
The defence had submitted that the situation was as a result of an accident. It was stated that Mannaru was acting in self-defence after seeing Basdeo’s brother-in-law running towards him. They argued that he pulled out the “flick knife” to arm himself.
Basdeo had broken off the relationship with Mannaru following a misunderstanding but he kept following her and threatening to stab her. Her mother had planned to send the girl back to school but because of the threats she was afraid to go.
