Justice Sandil Kissoon yesterday sentenced the two remaining convicts in the 2016 Black Bush Polder triple murder to life in prison without parole.
Jairam Chetram, known as ‘Ryan’, 24; his father, Carlton Chetram, known as ‘Lyma’; Jagmohan, known as ‘Guava’, of Mibicuri South, Black Bush Polder; and Rakesh Karamchand known as ‘Go-To-Front,’ of Sheet Anchor, East Canje Berbice, had been charged and committed to stand trial for the murders.
They were charged with murdering Pawan Chandradeo, his son, Jaikarran Chandradeo, 15, and his brother-in-law Naresh Rooplall, 33, at Mibicuri Backdam on July 21, 2016.
The two Chetrams and Karamchand pleaded guilty while Jagmohan was found guilty at the conclusion of his trial. Jairam Chetram had earlier been sentenced to life in prison while Jagmohan was sentenced to death.
Yesterday, Justice Kissoon at the High Court in Berbice sentenced both Carlton Chetram and Karamchand to life in prison without parole on each count.
A probation report for Carlton Chetram noted that the Black Bush Polder community members viewed the accused as a “troublemaker who always used his money as a tool to get what he wanted.” The report noted, that “It was related that the accused’s call name ‘Lie man’ speaks for itself.”
Furthermore, the community members also related that Carlton Chetram was charged for the offence of murder prior to the triple murder “but they alleged that he used his money to pay off witnesses, hence the matter was discharged.”
Meanwhile, the report said, that Carlton Chetram maintained that he was innocent of the offence but acknowledged that his firearm was used. “The accused stated that he is very sorry to Indrawattie Rooplall called ‘Pam’ and the family of the deceased for the loss they suffered. He mentioned that if he gets a chance of freedom he would ensure that the family is cared for adequately”, the report added.
A probation report for Karamchand yesterday disclosed that some members of the Black Bush Polder community described him to be a “very wicked person.” Additionally, the court heard that Karamchand was accused of assaulting his partner, stealing, and several other offences prior to the murders.
According to the report, Karamchand maintains that he is innocent too. He claimed that he was fishing a distance away when he heard the gunshots. And that he was in prison “punishing.”
Before sentencing, Carlton Chetram yesterday said that he was innocent and he “will never see the deceased family punish Sir. Sir I ask you for a chance that whatever time I get and I go out I go help them.”
He repeatedly offered to give the children of the deceased a tractor immediately.
“I will never see them punish Sir, I will never see them punish.” He then offered to “make a paper in the court that how long I live me go help the family” while telling the judge that he resides close to the relatives of the deceased and that he is a father of three daughters.
He continued to beg and plead with Justice Kissoon and at one point he even offered to lodge the registration of the tractor with the court for the family as he said that if he got out when he planted rice he would help the family every crop.
Justice Kissoon then questioned whether he had offered any sort of assistance since the incident pointing out that the men were murdered in 2016 and it’s now 2022, but Carlton Chetram said he had not had any contact with them since.
Meanwhile, Karamchand before sentencing told the court that he used the boat to drop the two accused at the location and proceeded ahead to fish on his own and after hearing gunshots he returned and “I try to stop the crime Sir but I couldn’t stop it” as he claimed that they threatened to kill him also.
“I beg you for mercy Sir”, Karamchand said, noting that several of his relatives passed away while he was in remand.
In sentencing the two men to life imprisonment without parole, Justice Kissoon yesterday said, that the two deceased men and child were shot in their heads to ensure the identities of the accused were concealed after which the accused removed the spent shells from the crime scene. He noted, that after the crime Jairam Chetram with assistance from his father (Carlton Chetram) fled to the Corentyne River to avoid justice.
However, the judge said, that the court holds the view that the men’s guilty plea came from a practical position since they showed no genuine desire to accept any sort of responsibility.
He said, Carlton gave his son Jairam the gun to use “in case of anything” during the commissioning of the crime of stealing fuel. “It is clear in the mind of this court that ‘the anything’ was what occurred on the night of the 21st of July, 2016, and the gun was used for the very purpose for which it was intended.”
During the hour-long sentencing, Justice Kissoon also noted that the probation reports did not contain any mitigation for sentence reduction.
