Georgetown: Push-cart vendor Quincy Massiah was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Justice Navindra Singh in the High Court.
It is alleged that on November 28, 2014, Massiah murdered Trevor Raghubir called “Fine Man”.
State Counsel Abigail Gibbs told the court that Massiah and Raghubir were both push-cart vendors and known to each other.
The 26-year-old Massiah of Durban Street, Georgetown, pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter.
During his address to the court, Massiah said he was sorry for what happened.
Justice Singh in handing down the ten-year jail term said his time spent on remand pending trial will be deducted.
According to the Prosecutor, both of the men slept at a premises located at Lot 9 Camp Street, Georgetown.
The court was told that on the day in question, the men were engaged in an argument over a hammock during which Raghubir made a comment about Massiah’s mother. Massiah became angry, the Prosecutor said, and stabbed Massiah with a knife causing him to fall to the ground.
Prosecutor Gibbs told the court that Massiah admitted to the offence in a caution statement. Raghubir’s cause of death was given as perforation of the aorta due to a stab wound.
Attorney-at-law George Thomas in a plea of mitigation told the court that his client grew up in West Ruimveldt, Georgetown. He said that Massiah was only seven years old when he witnessed the murder of his mother.
As a result of the death of his parents, Thomas told the court that Massiah was left in the care of his grandparents.
Due to the passing of grandparents, the lawyer pointed out that his client was forced into the world of work.
According to Thomas, the now dead man and others were in the habit of abusing Massiah.
The lawyer requested that his client be seen by a psychiatrist during his incarceration.
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