Naresh Ally, also known as “Little Robbery,” was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison by Justice Peter Hugh at the Demerara High Court for the 2018 killing of Romeza Sukdeo. Ally had pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter on October 4, 2024.
During sentencing, Justice Hugh explained that the maximum penalty for manslaughter is life imprisonment. However, he opted to start at 24 years due to mitigating factors, such as Ally’s age—he was 22 years old at the time of the crime—and the fact that he was under the influence of alcohol when the offence was committed. The judge then applied a one-third deduction, bringing the sentence to 16 years. He further deducted the time Ally had already spent in custody, leaving Ally with a final sentence of 10 years imprisonment.
As part of the sentence, Ally is required to participate in rehabilitation programmes to aid his reintegration into society after his release.
Ally had originally been charged with murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Justice Hugh had ordered the preparation of a probation report, as well as the presentation of both mitigating and aggravating factors, which were considered during the sentencing hearing.
In 2018, Sukdeo’s body was found under a tree near the Hydronie Market Road in Parika by a security guard. An autopsy by government pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh revealed that she had died from strangulation and blunt force trauma to the head.
