Georgetown: Miguel Barker was Monday sentenced to 80 years after being convicted of killing his wife Donessa Barker on April 30, 2015 at Inner Bagotville, West Bank Demerara. The custodial sentence was handed down by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown.
Justice Singh in handing down his sentence told the accused: “You went there, you got caught, you went back and attacked her and you are asking this court for mercy”.
The judge imposed 10 years for premeditation/domestic violence, considering the prevalence after he started at a base of 60 years, bringing the total years in jail to 80 years.
At first when the judge asked the accused what he had to say, he proclaimed his innocence then later told the court that “he was sorry for whatever happened”.
In his plea of mitigation, defence attorney, Maxwell McKay said that the accused was 29 years old and was religious and while in jail, he sought to reform himself. He asked for leniency in sentencing.
Prosecutors Tiffini Lyken and Abigail Gibbs appeared for the State. Barker was represented by Attorney-at-Law Maxwell McKay in association with Sherise Dowding.
In a plea of mitigation, McKay told the court that his client is a very religious person and father of one. However, even after being found guilty, Barker, also known as Allan, maintained his innocence.
Barker eventually told the court, “I am sorry for whatever happened.”
Donessa Barker, 28, also called ‘Nabine’, collapsed on the front stairs of her friend’s Lot 21, Inner Bagotville home at around 16.00 hrs after sustaining at least six stab wounds to her neck, left side and other parts of her body. She died at the scene even as her friend, Shaneiza Clarke, tried to resuscitate her and get the mortally wounded woman to a hospital.
According to reports, Miguel Barker fled the scene after fatally stabbing his spouse.
He was nabbed about a week after while job hunting in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.
Shaneiza Clarke was the prosecution’s star witness. She testified that the couple was always in the habit of “cussing” and hitting each other. She pointed out that she heard Miguel Barker threaten to kill his wife on several occasions.
Testifying via Skype from Suriname, Clarke told the court that she once lived in the same house with Miguel Barker and his wife.
According to Clarke, on the day in question at around 15:30hrs, she was awakened by her step sister Jovanna Frank. She told the court that she woke up Donessa Barker who came over to her bedroom. The witness recounted that some time after she received a cell phone call and went to accompany her step sister and Barker on the front verandah.
She said that Donessa Barker had inquired from her step sister about what type of music she had in her phone. Clarke recounted that Barker told Frank that she was going to uplift her phone from her bedroom. She added, “Donessa left the landing (verandah) and walked towards her room. All I hear is Oh God! Shaneiza come now.”
Clarke recalled that she armed herself with a cutlass she retrieved from under her bedroom and walked towards Donessa Barker’s bedroom. According to the witness, she saw Miguel Barker stooping at the window in Donessa Barker’s room. She said that the man turned around and looked at her, before she saw Donessa Barker standing at the bedroom door with blood pouring down her face. She said that Miguel Barker jumped through the window and escaped.
“He (Miguel) was wearing a white jersey with a black security pants. I see she (Donessa) panting for breath. I see blood shooting out from her neck and her hands. I shake she and tell she stay with me, I going and get help.”
Clarke recounted that the previous night – April 29, 2015 – she and Donessa Barker had heard footsteps coming from the bushes after returning home from attending a wake, at around 23:00hrs. She added that the electricity in her home went out, causing her to peep through a hole in the wall from where she saw that lights were on in her neighbour’s home. She said that when she looked out the window she saw Miguel Barker standing about 10 feet from her home, smoking a cigarette.
She recalled telling persons to take Barker to the police station, but he eventually dropped a knife he was holding and began walking away. Clarke said that she subsequently took Donessa Barker to La Grange Police Station. She said that they also lodged a report about Miguel Barker’s abusive behaviour.
Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh testified on Monday, stating that he performed the port-mortem on the body of the deceased and he gave the cause of death as shock and haemorrhage due to stab wounds to the chest.
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