Ex-cop slapped with life sentence for “cold-blooded” murder of friend

Former Police Officer Yogendra Sukhdeo was on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 21-year-old businessman Amit Singh, with Justice Sandil Kissoon condemning the killing as calculated and merciless.
The High Court Judge ordered that Sukhdeo, 27, of Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), serve 30 years before becoming eligible for parole. The time he has already spent on remand since his remand in October 2023 will be deducted from his sentence.
Sukhdeo’s sentencing followed his decision to abandon his not guilty plea and admit to the capital offence of murder committed during the course of a robbery. He entered the guilty plea last month, moments before he was scheduled to face a 12-member jury before Justice Kissoon.
In a lengthy sentencing address, Justice Kissoon described the killing of Singh as “a cold, deliberate act of murder in the furtherance of robbery attended by acts of extreme cruelty and violence”.
The Judge said the case represented the type of criminal conduct that undermines the safety and security of society, warning that persons who choose to take human life for financial gain must face the consequences.
“The rule of law is, and has always been, those who violate the sanctity of human life, threatening the safety and well-being of members of society in the course of their violent criminal activities, motivated by hope of unlawful financial reward, must be prepared to accept the consequences of such conduct in law,” Justice Kissoon said.
He found that Sukhdeo’s actions were not spontaneous, but rather the result of a planned scheme driven by greed.

Planned, premeditated
According to the Judge, Sukhdeo “wilfully planned, and premeditated” the murder, using deception to lure Singh, his friend, to his death before taking approximately $8 million from him.
The Judge noted that murder committed in the course of a robbery, known as felony murder, carries the most severe penalties under Guyana’s laws – death or life imprisonment.
“Tried and trusted friend”
The court heard that Singh, of Delph Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, believed he was going to complete a legitimate gold transaction when he left his home on October 24, 2023.
Justice Kissoon said Sukhdeo exploited a relationship of trust between them, as Singh considered him a “tried and trusted friend”.
The Judge said Sukhdeo falsely represented that he had gold valued at $8 million for sale and collected Singh in his vehicle under the pretence that they were travelling to Eccles, East Bank Demerara, to complete the transaction.
Instead, Justice Kissoon said, Singh was taken to a secluded property at Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, where he was attacked and killed.
The Judge emphasised that Singh was not a threat to Sukhdeo in the moments leading to his death but was instead left “vulnerable, unarmed and helpless” during the attack.
A post-mortem examination conducted by forensic pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh found that Singh died from multiple injuries, including blunt force trauma to the head, face and neck, as well as blood aspiration.
Justice Kissoon said the injuries showed the extent of violence used against Singh and noted that defensive injuries found on the victim indicated that he attempted to protect himself during the attack.
A piece of wood recovered by investigators was later tested and found to contain blood consistent with Singh’s DNA profile.

Cold-blooded act
In outlining the factors that increased the seriousness of the offence, Justice Kissoon pointed to the level of planning involved, the financial motive, the use of extreme violence, the attempt to conceal the crime and Sukhdeo’s position of trust.
The Judge noted that Sukhdeo’s previous service as a presidential guard and special branch officer further aggravated the offence because those roles were built on public confidence.
Justice Kissoon said the evidence supported the conclusion that Sukhdeo’s actions amounted to “a cold-blooded act of murder by the accused of his victim in furtherance of robbing him.”
Prosecutor attorney-at-law Latchmie Rahamat had urged the court to consider the abuse of trust, premeditation and financial motivation behind the crime.
She said Singh was deceived into believing he was entering a business arrangement and was instead placed in a position where he could not escape.
Rahamat told the court that Singh had been entrusted by his father with $8 million to purchase gold and that $7.79 million was later recovered from Sukhdeo.

Forgiveness
Before sentencing, Sukhdeo expressed remorse and asked Singh’s parents for forgiveness.
“Today, I stand before you all with a broken heart and tears in my eyes,” he told the court.
Addressing Singh’s parents, he said: “I again just seek your forgiveness from the bottom of my heart for everything that caused us to be here today.”
Sukhdeo described Singh as someone who was “like a brother” to him, adding that he was “jolly and happy and most of the time trying to cheer anyone up.”
Defence attorney Shercola Exeter-Sardina asked the court to consider Sukhdeo’s youthful age, early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions and prospects for rehabilitation.
She said her client had accepted responsibility and spared the Singh family the emotional burden of a trial. She urged the court to recognise that “even those who commit the most serious offences retain their capacity for reform”.
However, Justice Kissoon found that the aggravating circumstances outweighed the mitigating factors.
“A part of me died on that day”
The Judge also considered emotional victim impact statements from Singh’s parents, which detailed the devastating effect of losing their son.
His mother described him as “a very loving, kind, and talented young man” who was “always the life of every function”.
She told the court, “A part of me died on that day,” explaining that she struggled with sleep, fear and the pain of knowing her son was brutally killed.
His father labelled him as “my pride and one of my greatest blessings of my life”, stating he had looked forward to seeing his son grow, marry and have a family.
He said, “The day I learned that my son had been brutally murdered changed my life forever.”
He told the court that he had become “a broken man” and that Amit’s absence had created “a permanent void that can never be filled”.
The prosecution was led by Rahamat, while attorneys Dexter Smartt, Eden Corbin and Shercola Exeter-Sardina appeared for Sukhdeo. This case was heard at the High Court in Demerara.