Lakeram Harrinarine, the Helena, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara man who admitted to killing his common-law wife in 2016, yesterday learned that he will be spending most of the next 15 years in jail.
Though initially charged with murder, Harrinarine pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. He admitted that between January 7th and January 10th, 2016, at Helena, Mahaica, he murdered Hafeeza Rohoman.
When the matter was called on Thursday before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow, Harrinarine asked for the court to be lenient while he apologised for his actions.
Justice Barlow began the sentence at 28 years but ordered that one-third of the time be deducted as Harrinarine did not waste the court’s time. She then also deducted one year given that he was 23-years-old at the time of commission of the offence and was in a relationship with the deceased, who was older than him and would be aggressive towards him. The time which he spent on remand awaiting trial was also deducted from his sentence.
Harrinarine and Rohoman had shared a common-law relationship for approximately three months prior to her death. Her body was later found floating in a trench not far from her home.
Prior to Harrinarine being charged for the crime, the man had confessed to the police. He had reportedly told investigators that he and the woman came to blows after he pleaded with her to return home. He told the police that Rohoman hit him, which caused him to retaliate by hitting her to the head, causing her to fall into a nearby trench, where she drowned.
