Faced with a second retrial after a successful appeal of a prior murder conviction, Tyrone Rowe, called ‘Cobra,’ yesterday opted to throw himself at the mercy of the court and copped to a manslaughter charge for the 2010 killing of Troy Collymore.
He was subsequently handed a 15-year sentence by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown following the opening of the April criminal assizes.
While he denied the capital offence on which he was initially indicted, Rowe pleaded guilty to the lesser offence, thereby accepting that on August 5th, 2010, at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, he unlawfully killed Collymore called ‘Colly’ and ‘Nelly.’
Additionally, he pleaded guilty to a charge of armed robbery, which stated that on the said day, being armed with a gun, he robbed Chandrika Datt of a gold chain.
Expressing his remorse to Justice Singh, Rowe begged the judge for leniency. He told the judge that he was truly sorry for what had happened, while stating that he would like to be given an opportunity to care for his mother, whom he said has been diagnosed with cancer.
In his address to the court, he referenced the almost 10 years that he has been behind bars, while noting that he has a “young girlfriend” who he wants to see. He also said he wanted to attend next month’s j’ouvert celebrations as part of the Guyana Carnival events. His latter request triggered expressions of amusement from those in the courtroom.
Justice Singh, in return, explained to Rowe that while he was mindful of being lenient, he had to impose a custodial sentence for the offences committed.
Noting the lengthy time Rowe has since been behind bars, Justice Singh sought to enquire from him his plans once released. Asked specifically what he intends to do in the line of work, Rowe said, “I will go and work.”
When asked, he told the judge that while behind bars, not only has he been rehabilitating himself, but has been exposed to learning trades as well.
For his part, Rowe’s attorney Mark Conway said that his client has utilised anger-management sessions and had attended craft classes while incarcerated. He said that he has also exhibited good behaviour and has shown signs of rehabilitation.
Notwithstanding these accounts by counsel, however, Prosecutor Abigail Gibbs asked the judge to impose a sentence a sentence which would reflect the nature and gravity of the offences committed.
Following submissions from both sides, Justice Singh sentenced Rowe to 15 years behind bars for Collymore’s killing and nine years for the robbery. He ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
The judge then made further orders that deductions be made by the prison service for time Rowe would have since spent behind bars, commencing from his arrest.
Expressing hope that he would “do the right thing” after his release, Justice Singh wished the young man the best of luck, while underscoring the hope that he would by now have come to realise that prison is no pleasant place to be, “especially in Guyana.”
Collymore was shot after a robbery at a pharmacy in Plaisance.
He was declared clinically dead two days after at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Following a trial in 2013, a jury unanimously convicted Rowe of murdering Collymore. He had then also appeared before Justice Singh who sentenced him to 78 years in jail.
Rowe would later appeal his conviction, which was overturned by the Court of Appeal, which also set aside his sentence, before ordering a retrial.
During the second trial, which commenced before Justice Sandil Kissoon, however, a mistrial had to be declared on grounds of prejudicial evidence being referenced to the extent that the accused could no longer be regarded as having a fair trial. Justice Kissoon had explained that this could not be remedied with instructions to the jury, and in those circumstances, and in the interest of fairness and justice to the accused, the judge declared a mistrial.
