A convict who was a juvenile when he murdered Cuyuni shop owner Bibi Sheniza Khan-Bhola back in 2014, has been sentenced to serve a minimum of eight years behind bars; in addition to being ordered to undergo a host of rehabilitative programmes.
In accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act, notwithstanding that the offender is now an adult, he is afforded certain protections since he would have committed the offence as a juvenile, and for this reason, his identity cannot be published.
In early November, the young man at his arraignment before the High Court at Suddie, pleaded guilty to murdering the woman between February 26 and 27, 2014, at Rock Creek, Cuyuni River.
Justice Jo-Ann Barlow had, however, deferred sentencing to facilitate the preparation and presentation of probation and other social impact reports.
At the sentencing hearing yesterday morning, the Judge ordered that he serves a minimum of eight years in custody during which she said he is to be exposed to “behaviour modification programs and counselling sessions” which are to commence in January.
The Prison was also ordered to ensure that the offender be exposed to academic studies “tailored to his needs and ability” which are also to commence no later than January 2023.
Further to this, the Prison had been ordered to compile a record of the young man’s attendance participation and performance in the programmes; and to facilitate half-yearly assessments by a Probation and Social Services officer.
Justice Barlow has also said that she wants to see the offender for periodic review every two years, commencing in October of 2024 for a full report of his conduct, progression in the rehabilitative programmes and his response to the sentence.
The Court said it will also want to be apprised of an up-to-date medical report on the offender.
Being also sentenced at the Court’s pleasure, Justice Barlow has said in her orders that upon being satisfied that the offender is ready for reintegration into society, his release shall be ordered on condition that the Court “at the time of the release deems fit”.
Background
Khan-Bhola, a 34-year-old mother of two, was found stabbed to death in her shop at Rock Creek, Cuyuni River, in February 2014.
It had been previously reported that the day before Khan-Bhola’s body was found, she had a heated argument with two men over a pump she had given them for mining.
Afterward, police had issued a wanted bulletin for the juvenile.
He was one of two males who had been staying with the woman around the time she was killed and who police had always treated as the prime suspects.
Khan-Bhola’s family believes that the duo hatched a plan to murder her because she wanted to take back the pump she had loaned them.
They had said the two suspects were fired by their employer and had no job.
Khan-Bhola subsequently decided to loan the pump to them with the expectation that they would pay her for it.
Things turned sour when the duo decided that they wanted to take the pump to another location even though they had given her no money.
