Former Diamond, East Bank Demerara resident Bryan Leitch called “Big Foot” will spend the next 33 years behind bars for killing the owner of a South Road, Georgetown hotel. He was sentenced on Wednesday to serve the term of imprisonment some two weeks after being found guilty of the lesser count of manslaughter by a 12-member jury at the High Court.
Bryan Leitch, called “Big Foot”
Leitch was indicted for killing South Central Hotel’s owner Joseph Jagdeo whose lifeless bound and gagged body was found in Room 10 at his establishment on November 14, 2013.
Police contended that the now convicted man committed the act hours prior after he stole the Jagdeo’s cellphone. The prosecution contended that on November 13, 2013 Leitch and a female companion rented a room at the hotel. However, Jagdeo misplaced his cellular phone after the couple had left the reception area. He later confronted Leitch about the theft.
The sentence was handed down by Justice Sandhill Kissoon who encouraged Leitch to take advantage of the prison programmes available so that he can add to society in his later years.
His attorney, Lawrence Harris had begged the court for mercy, highlighting that his client is only 24 years old and had a troubled life and even spent time at the New Opportunity Corps. This was highlighted in the probation report presented to the court. However, the court while deducting time spent on remand from the sentence, added five years for the way in which the victim died.
Dead hotelier Joseph Jagdeo
Leitch’s Caution Statement (CS) had stated that he was “sorry” for his actions. On December 1, 2013, retired Police Sergeant Phillip Bowman took the CS which quoted Leitch as saying that on the morning in question, Jagdeo came to his room and told him to leave the hotel which angered him.
“I was vexed and I tell he and I tie he hand and put a cloth around he mouth and tie it, I push he under the bed and put the room key on the bed. I then go to the office and took out he cellphone; I sorry for what happen, I didn’t go to kill he,” the excerpt from the CS had stated.
Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Mandell Moore appeared for the State.
