A Helena Number One, Mahaica man was sentenced to death on Friday for murdering his common-law wife.
Rupert Browne was found guilty by a 12-member jury of the murder of Seema Singh at the conclusion of his trial in the High Court, where Justice Brassington Reynolds handed down the death sentence.
He had been indicted for the fatal stabbing of Singh, who lived with him
at a house in Helena Number One, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara.
On May 29, 2011, Singh was stabbed several times about her body and left to die at the home of Browne’s niece.
The woman had left the home she shared with Browne the day before and spent a night at his niece, Carol Browne. Early the next morning, the man went to his niece’s house and begged Seema to return. However, when she said no, he grabbed her and started stab her until she stopped screaming for help.
Carol Browne testified that her uncle had flown into a fit of rage and began to carry out his attack. She said she became so scared she ran into a room and shut the door on Singh’s screams.
However, in an unsworn statement from the prisoner’s dock, Browne denied attacking the woman. He stated that on the day of the murder, he had decided to visit Singh and when he arrived he saw her lying in bed, surrounded by a pool of blood. He said he did not kill her.
Browne was represented by attorney Hukumchand, while the state’s case was presented by state attorney Teshana Lake.
