Bagotstown man gets 19 years for killing “Lapsy”

Shortly after pleading not guilty to a murder charge and with his trial underway, 35-year-old Trevor Anthony Amsterdam had a change of heart as he opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

Amsterdam admitted that on November 10, 2015, at Lot 34 Norton Street, Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara (EBD), he killed Jermain Simon, also called “Lapsy”.
The convict appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon, who accepted the guilty plea and discontinued the trial. As such, the Judge handed him a 19-year prison sentence for manslaughter.
Simon, formerly of Lot 46 Norton Street, Bagotstown, was shot to the head while passing Amsterdam’s house. It was reported that Amsterdam upon seeing the now dead man riding past his home suddenly rushed out of his yard and discharged a round at him thus hitting him to the forehead.

Simon was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, but died while receiving medical treatment.
Prior to his death, Police had issued a wanted bulletin for Simon in connection with the shooting death of 19-year-old Ryan Sooklall of Providence, EBD.
According to reports, Sooklall was shot dead on March 1, 2015 while liming with friends in his neighbourhood, a short distance from where he lived.

The teen died from a single gunshot wound in the back, at the hands of a man with whom he had a grouse over an alleged shooting on the day in question.
The State’s case was presented by Prosecutors Tuanna Hardy, Tiffin Lyken, and Nafeeza Baig.