Tyrone Rowe, popularly known as “Cobra,” was on Tuesday slapped with a 15-year jail sentence after pleading guilty to a lesser count of manslaughter for the unlawful killing of Troy “Natti” Collymore.
Rowe, of Albouystown, was charged for the 2010 murder but pled guilty to a manslaughter charge when he appeared before Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court during the commencement of the April Demerara Assizes.
He also pled guilty to an armed robbery charge to which he was given a nine-year sentence. The sentences will run concurrently which means that he will spend 15 years in prison.
In addition, the time Rowe spent on remand will be deducted from the sentence. In August 2010, Collymore, of Plaisance Squatting Area and Chandrika Datt called “Shiv,” of Industry, were chatting in front of a drug store at Plaisance, ECD.
Datt, however, left to close the store after dealing with a customer. At this point, three armed men including Anthony Taylor, called “Bow Wow,” and Tyrone “Cobra” Rowe confronted Collymore and an overseas-based Guyanese, Noel Phillips.
One of the men reportedly entered the store and held up Datt while Taylor and another accomplice accosted Collymore and Phillips.
The armed man took a quantity of jewellery valued at $320,000 along with eight laptop computers from Datt, while his accomplices took jewellery valued at $600,000 and an undisclosed sum of cash from Phillips.
During the robbery, several rounds were discharged which resulted in Taylor being shot and killed. Phillips was shot to his right arm and chest and Collymore was shot to his head. In addition, a passer-by was shot to his left side jaw.
The alleged ringleader, “Cobra,” and his accomplice escaped. Collymore was declared “brain dead” by doctors and succumbed two days later.
Rowe was subsequently apprehended and charged. In 2013, he was found guilty by a jury for the murder of Collymore and was sentenced to 78 years’ imprisonment by Justice Singh.
Rowe, through his attorney, appealed the ruling which was accepted and in July 2018, his conviction and sentencing were overturned.
As such, he was entitled to a new trial.
