13-year jail sentence for miner who killed drinking buddy

A 36-year-old miner was on Tuesday sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment after he confessed to killing his drinking buddy during an argument over a cigarette on October 16, 2018.

Parsram Ramnauth, formerly of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), virtually appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon via Zoom to answer to the charge of murder but opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.
He admitted that on the day in question, he killed Daniel George at Barakat Backdam, Mazaruni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
The State was represented by Prosecutor Lisa Cave, while Ramnauth was represented by Attorney-at-Law Ravindra Mohabir.
The facts presented to the court stated that on the day in question, Ramnauth and George were imbibing when an argument erupted over cigarettes. The argument turned into a scuffle and it was then George was fatally stabbed.

A probation report, which was presented to the court, revealed that Ramnath has expressed remorse for his actions and is willing to apologise to the family of the deceased.
Justice Sandil Kissoon sentenced Ramnauth to 13 years’ imprisonment after considering his early guilty plea.
In 2007, Ramnath was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on a charge of causing grievous bodily harm and to three years’ imprisonment in 2006 for possession of narcotics.