Farmer jailed for killing friend

Fifty-four-year-old Martin Salvadore on Wednesday pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter when he appeared before Justice Navindra Singh at the Georgetown High Court to answer for the crime, which was committed in October 2014.

Jailed: Martin Salvadore

The charge detailed that on October 16, 2014 at Nappi Village, Central Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), he killed Wilson James.
Salvadore, who made his first court appearance in 2014 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, was initially charged with murder, but opted to plead to the lesser offence at the High Court on Wednesday.
The State’s case was presented by Teriq Mohammed, along with Tuanna Hardy and Abigail Gibbs. Meanwhile, defence counsel Mark Conway, in a plea of mitigation, told the court that his client has been attending regular church services while in prison.
The court heard that on the day in question, Salvadore and the now deceased man were imbibing when a scuffle ensued. Both parties were armed, with a cutlass and bicycle bar respectively, when Salvadore inflicted several chop wounds about the victim’s body.
James was rushed to the Lethem Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Before sentencing, Justice Singh advised Salvadore to avoid consuming alcohol when he is released from prison and to enjoy the remainder of his life.
As such, a nine-year sentence was handed down. Justice Singh ordered that the years Salvadore spent on remand be deducted from the sentence.