A West Coast Berbice man was yesterday sentenced to twelve years in prison after he pleaded guilty in the High Court in Berbice to fatally chopping a man he had an ongoing feud with in March 2020.
Delroy Roberston yesterday appeared at the High Court in Berbice before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow for sentencing following his guilty plea earlier this month.
Justice Barlow started the sentencing at twenty years yesterday, however, two years were deducted for mitigating circumstances then from the remaining eighteen years, one-third was deducted for his guilty plea leaving the accused to serve 12 years in prison with time on remand spent to be deducted.
Justice Barlow also ordered that Robertson be exposed to behaviour modification sessions and skills training tailored to his present needs.
Robertson also known as ‘Done Dance’ of Lot 22 James Street, Hopetown Village, West Coast Berbice, had pleaded guilty to killing Kevin Garraway who died on the 30th March 2020 at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.
Based on the facts of the matter on March 30, 2020 around 15:00hrs, Robertson was around James Street and Blair Avenue when he was heard saying, “Kevin you will defend your badness wuh you get today in town”.
The accused then rode out the street and came back with a cutlass which he used to fire at persons under a shed including Garraway. The persons then ran out and the accused chased them.
Garraway was seen with injuries at Blair Avenue and was escorted to the Fort Wellington Hospital from where he was subsequently transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital. He reportedly sustained lacerations to his left leg, left hand and blood loss.
When questioned at the time Garraway had told the investigating officer, “Done Dance chop me in my left foot with a cutlass.”
The following day, Robertson was arrested at Number 29 Village, West Coast Berbice.
He had told police that he and Garraway had an ongoing issue and on the day in question Garraway came up to him and “meh pull out the cutlass from meh bicycle and chop he one time on he foot. Meh throw away the cutlass from meh bicycle and ride away. This morning I hear Kevin dead. Meh sorry wah happened because it did not call for all this.”
A post-mortem examination carried out on Garraway had revealed the cause of death as haemorrhage and shock due to incised wounds to his knee.
Attorney at Law, Muntaz Ali presented the state’s case, while Attorney at Law, Sasha Roberts represented the accused.
