One of three men charged for the 2014 murder of taxi driver Raphael Campbell was on Tuesday sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading instead to the lesser offence of manslaughter before Justice Navindra Singh.
Shawn Collins was originally indicted for the capital offence to which he pleaded not guilty. He, however, accepted guilt on the lesser charge which stated that he unlawfully killed Campbell between January 2nd and 3rd, 2014 at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
In a plea of mitigation, defence attorney Keoma Griffith said that his client was sorry for what he had done and takes full responsibility for his actions.
Prosecutor Tyra Bakker described Collins’ actions as senseless and cowardly which led to a family being deprived of their loved one even as she noted that Campbell had been attacked for simply doing his job.
Against this background she asked the judge to impose a sentence that would reflect the nature and gravity of the crime and that would also deter Collins from reoffending as well as potential offenders.
The prosecutor said that a message needed to be sent to youths that they should not succumb to peer pressure.
Justice Singh imposed a 10-year sentence from which he ordered the prison to make deductions for the time Collins would have been incarcerated awaiting trial.
Collins had been jointly-charged with Shawn Edinboro and Michael Bishop whose trial has not yet commenced.
Campbell’s bloody, battered body was found on the morning of January 3rd at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
The Beterverwagting resident had remained unidentified until days later, when police intercepted a car on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway with five men inside.
It was at this point that police were able to put the pieces of the puzzle together, making a link between the car and Campbell.
Campbell had rented the car and was using it as a taxi.
He had reportedly picked up the men, but when they arrived at their destination there was an argument and Campbell was badly beaten, stabbed and shot in the head.
Police had said that based on information gathered the men had hired Campbell to take them to a location but after they arrived they had a dispute with Campbell over the fare that should be paid.
Lawmen had said that it was around this time that Campbell, a father of two was beaten to the point where most of his teeth fell out and his face was left bashed in. The men left Campbell lying on the roadway and drove off in the black Premio motor car.
An autopsy had revealed that Campbell died as a result of gunshot injuries to the head.
