A young man who chopped off a man’s hand was yesterday sentenced to 10 years in jail after a jury found him guilty of committing the offence.
Twenty-four-year-old Alvin Raghubeer was convicted of wounding Nowrattan Wilmont on October 3, 2007 with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause him grievous bodily harm.
Raghubeer was indicted for attempting to murder Wilmont, and in the alternative count, for wounding him with intent.
After deliberating for two hours, the 12-member mixed jury found him not guilty of attempted murder, but returned its unanimous guilty verdict for the offence of wounding.
In her opening address at the commencement of the trial, Prosecutor Tuanna Hardy said that Wilmont and Alvin’s grandfather had been arguing in front of the latter’s home.
As the victim continued cursing and turned to walk away, the court heard, Alvin ran behind him and chopped him on his shoulder and left leg with a cutlass.
As Wilmont turned around, Hardy said, he attempted to bar another chop with his hand which was severed.
Alvin, who was then 16 years old, ran away from the scene, but was later arrested and charged along with his grandfather.
The grandfather was discharged of the offence at the Magistrate’s Court. His grandson was however committed to the High Court to stand trial.
Defence attorney Sonia Parag, in a pre-sentence mitigation plea, begged the court to consider that her client is quite young and can still constructively contribute to society.
Counsel said that he lived with his grandparents and was the sole breadwinner in the home. She said that apart from this conviction, her client is of otherwise “good character,” and is quite remorseful.
When asked whether he had anything to say before sentence was passed on him, the convict shook his head to indicate in the negative.
The young man appeared visibly shocked and worried when Justice Jo-Ann Barlow informed that she would be sentencing him to 10 years in jail.
The judge was firm in pointing out to him that the offence he committed was a serious one, which not only permanently disfigured the victim’s hand, but rendered him incapable of using it.
Justice Barlow went on to reprimand the young man for the lack of respect to his elders, as he was a teen at the time.
The judge told Raghubeer that while he may have wanted to protect his grandfather’s honour, “society cannot condone vigilante justice.”
The judge went on to note that whatever the issue was between the men that day, could have been resolved by making a report to the police.
After considering that he was under 18 years of age when the offence was committed, Justice Barlow informed Alvin that he would be sentenced to 10 years behind bars.
Wilmont is now deceased, but not as a result of the injuries inflicted upon him by the convict, nor on account of any circumstance relating to the case.
The state was represented by Hardy, in association with prosecutors Tamieka Clarke and Shawnette Austin.
The trial was heard at the High Court in Georgetown.
