Abdul Budhoo, 31, was yesterday sentenced to 62 years in prison for killing his cousins, Shaheed and Imran Bacchus.
Early last month, a jury convicted him of killing the brothers. His sentencing was, however, deferred to yesterday to facilitate the presentation of a probation report.
The 12-member jury found Budhoo guilty of murdering Imran, but by a majority of eleven to one, guilty of the lesser count of manslaughter for unlawfully killing Shaheed.
Asked if he wanted to say anything before being sentenced, Budhoo yesterday told Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown, “I am very, very sorry for this.” He then went on to explain that it was his cousins who had first attacked him. According to the convict, “If they din do that, none ah dis would have never happen.” He continued, “I had no intention of hurting them. I went in me corner, and is they start pelting me with bricks.”
For his part, defence attorney Michael Somersall begged the court to be merciful on his client.
Prosecutor Siand Dhurjon, however, asked the court to consider the serious nature of the offences committed and the violence used by Budhoo.
He said, too, that at the time of the attack the victims were unharmed when their cousin exhibited a wanton disregard for human life towards them.
Asking the court to also take into account that the men were young, state counsel advanced the need for a strong message of deterrence to be sent to society.
After reviewing the probation report and listening to what Budhoo had to say, Justice Singh pointed out that while the convict said he was sorry, he still seemed not prepared to take responsibility for his actions.
Justice Singh expressed disbelief at Budhoo’s misrepresentation of what actually transpired, based on the facts presented during the trial, citing that three eyewitnesses had testified that it was he who had been the instigator of the altercation from the inception.
The judge added that he had found Budhoo to be persistent in the attack on Shaheed.
After hearing submissions from both sides, the judge imposed a sentence of 32 years in jail on Budhoo for the unlawful killing of Shaheed.
For murdering Imran, however, the judge sentenced him to 62 years in jail, ordering that the sentences run concurrently since both deaths resulted from the same circumstances.
The Bacchus brothers were killed on September 30, 2012 at Industrial Area Mackenzie, Linden.
The prosecution’s facts were that there was an old grievance among the men regarding money, which Budhoo owed to Shaheed.
Dhurjon, had said that on the day in question, Imran and Shaheed were standing on the road awaiting transportation to get to work when their cousin passed by on a bicycle.
He said that there was a verbal exchange among them, after which Budhoo went home, and returned on foot.
Dhurjon said that upon his return, Budhoo continued to verbally engage the brothers, and began throwing bricks at them, even as they pleaded with him to desist.
According to the prosecutor, Shaheed, who observed something bulging in his cousin’s waist, challenged him to “put down wah yuh get on yuh waist, and leh we cuff it out.”
He said that it was at this point that the two men got into a scuffle, during which Budhoo whipped out a knife, with which he dealt Shaheed four stab wounds.
Dhurjon said that Imran, who then intervened to defend his younger brother, was also stabbed by his cousin.
Shaheed, 26, died of stab wounds to the lung, compounded by shock and haemorrhage.
Imran, also 26, died of a stab wound to his heart.
