Wounding convict’s appeal adjourned for court’s registry to notify appellant

Robert Rawlins, who has filed an appeal against his conviction and 12-year prison sentence for felonious wounding, has to be notified by the Court of Appeal that his matter has been listed for hearing. The case, which was originally scheduled for arguments on July 25, has been put off until October 4 to allow the court’s registry to notify the appellant, who is on bail, of the new date.
In 2016, this Kingston Squatting Area, Springlands, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) resident was found guilty of a brutal cutlass attack on his ex-reputed wife and consequently imprisoned.

During an incident that took place on July 3, 2014, Rawlins wounded then-45-year-old Sharmila Singh with intent to maim, disable or disfigure her. He was initially indicted for attempted murder but was convicted on the lesser count of felonious wounding.
Rawlins was convicted by a mixed 12-member jury following a trial before Justice Jo Ann Barlow at the Berbice High Court. He has since appealed that decision, arguing, among other things, that his conviction is unsafe and that the 12-year sentence imposed on him is excessive.
Singh, with whom Rawlins had shared a two-year relationship, had testified that on July 3, 2014, she was sitting in a hammock at her former sister-in-law’s home when Rawlins came and asked her “Where yuh gon run now?”, before chopping and broadsiding her with two cutlasses.
According to her, her sister-in-law, upon seeing this, ran to the back of the house to alert the neighbours. She had said that Rawlins chopped her about her body and then left.
Singh was initially taken to the Skeldon Hospital before being transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital but had to be transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
During the ordeal, Singh had testified that she was unable to scream because she was in shock.
Dr Chandrawattie Lalbachan, in testifying on behalf of the prosecution, had said that she examined the injured woman on July 23, 2014, and observed that there were 11 lacerations and hematomas about her body, inclusive of her head, back, shoulder, arm and fingers.
According to the doctor, due to the extent of the woman’s wounds, she had lost a large volume of blood. It was noted by the doctor that without prompt medical intervention, Singh might have lost her life; however, she now has a permanent disability in three fingers of her right hand.
In his defence, Rawlins, who was unrepresented by counsel, elected to give an unsworn statement in which he maintained that he did not chop his ex-partner. He had claimed that two men had attacked him and Singh and that during the altercation, she was injured. (G1)