Convicted murderers of Bourda vendor receive life sentences without parole

Akeem Morris, known as “Dig Out,” and co-defendant Roy Sandiford have been sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the 2018 murder of cheese and sausage vendor Troy Ramalho.
The sentence, handed down by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown, has brought finality to a case that had spanned nearly seven years, and follows the men’s conviction on February 3, when a jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts for both men after nearly five hours of deliberation.
The pair have been found guilty of murder in furtherance of a robbery.
According to reports, on the night of August 15, 2018, at approximately 23:05h, Ramalho was closing his business at Bourda Market when he was ambushed. He had been wrapping up sales, still wearing three gold rings, with three gold chains wrapped around his arm.
Eyewitnesses testified that Sandiford, armed with a firearm, approached the vendor’s stall and ordered him not to move. Without hesitation, he fired a single shot, striking Ramalho in the chest. As the vendor collapsed, Morris quickly removed the jewellery from his body before fleeing the scene. The two men, along with accomplice Nya John, escaped in a waiting car driven by George Paton.
A post-mortem conducted by forensic pathologist Dr. Nehaul P. Singh confirmed that Ramalho died from haemorrhage and shock caused by the gunshot wound. The bullet, fired from a distance, entered his left chest, puncturing both lungs before lodging between his ribs. No evidence of close-range firing was found.
Police launched an aggressive investigation, leading to Morris’s arrest on August 26, 2018. He was later placed on an identification parade, where an eyewitness positively identified him.
Sandiford, arrested on September 1, 2018, was also identified in a line-up.
During their trial, which commenced on January 22, 2025, the prosecution, led by State Counsel Christopher Belfield and Muntaz Ali, relied on surveillance footage showing Morris and Sandiford approaching Ramalho’s stall and fleeing after the attack. Witness testimonies reinforced the prosecution’s case.
Morris, through his attorney, argued that the identification parade was unfair, and claimed he was at home with his one-year-old daughter at the time of the murder. Sandiford’s attorney attempted to establish an alibi, presenting two witnesses who claimed he had been at a Superbet Shop in Albouystown during the crime. However, both witnesses struggled under cross-examination, and had not previously provided their statements to the police or the Magistrate’s Court.
Ultimately, the jury dismissed the defence arguments, delivering unanimous guilty verdicts for both men.