Fisherman handed 2 life sentences for 2011 murders

A former Fyrish Village, Corentyne, Berbice fisherman was sentenced to two life sentences with the possibility of being paroled after 30 years following his conviction in the fiery deaths of a boat captain and a teen boy back in 2011.
On Monday, Berbice High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon imposed two concurrent life sentences on 55-year-old Ravendranauth Mohanlall called “Fred”, whom a jury, last month, had found guilty of the murders of Beeram Motilall and Renard Fernandes.

Mohanlall had been detained since September 7, 2011, for the killings.
During his sentencing remarks, Judge Kissoon said that the excessive delay in arranging Mohanlall’s trial violated Article 144 (1) of the Guyana Constitution, which stipulates that each accused person must be given a fair hearing within a reasonable amount of time.
This criminal’s fundamental right was violated, the Judge ruled.
As a result, he decided to deduct five years from each sentence for this infringement and awarded full credit for all the years Mohanlall spent on remand.
Additionally, the Judge mandated that the convicted man continue to have medicine and therapy for his mental illnesses, namely, paranoid hallucinations and intellectual disability psychosis.

People in Mohanlall’s neighbourhood described him as hardworking, respectful, peaceful, friendly, and an alcoholic, according to a probation report. Reports from the prison service indicated that he is a disciplined inmate who has never been rebuked for misconduct.
In relation to Mohanlall’s attitude towards the offence, the Probation Officer related that he has shown absolutely no remorse, maintaining that he had no reason to kill the pair.
As for the deceased men’s family, through victim impact statements, they implored the court to give them justice. Motilall’s widow described him as a family-oriented and hardworking man.
In a plea of mitigation, Stacy Goodings, Mohanlall’s attorney, requested the court to take into account her client’s “exemplary character” while incarcerated and to acknowledge the concerns raised by prison officials who noticed her client’s mental health issues.
Goodings asked the court to consider his previous clean criminal record and sought for some kind of rehabilitation measures to be incorporated into the sentence. Meanwhile, when asked by the trial Judge if he had anything to say before the sentence was passed, Mohanlall replied: “No”.

In his sentencing statement, the Judge stated that he had a very tough task in determining a just sentence due to several issues that came up, such as the convict’s alcohol issues, constitutional concerns, and the state of Mohanlall’s mental health following the killings.
According to Justice Kissoon, Mohanlall unleashed immeasurable cruelty and gratuitous violence on his victims, resulting in prolonged suffering.
Despite the jury’s verdict, the Judge said that the convict showed no remorse for his unlawful conduct which has left families broken.
The Judge acknowledged that while the death penalty is still a punishment for murder, the circumstances of this case did not call for it.
“Life is the only just and appropriate sentence,” he remarked, reasoning that grave offences demand a grave sentence not only to punish the offender but to deter like-minded individuals who may contemplate such a course of action.
In so doing, he made reference to the number of homicides that result from binge drinking.
State Counsel Muntaz Ali prosecuted this case.
The duo was killed between September 6, 2011, and September 12, 2011, at sea, near Bush Lot Village, Corentyne
It was reported that 45-year-old boat captain Motilall and Fernandes, 15, departed to go fishing but were instead set on fire by Mohanlall while they were sleeping.
It is unclear what might have caused Mohanlall to light them on fire. Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome, brought on by the victims’ severe burn injuries, was listed as their cause of death.
Between 50 to 65 percent of their bodies were burned in the second and third degree.