Jailed: Farmer to serve 10 years for killing cousin

An Annai farmer and former clerk, Phillip Sutherland, late last month withdrew his guilty plea for unlawfully killing his cousin Martin Roberts during a drunken row at Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) in 2014. He once again pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. Following his plea changes, the self-confessed killer was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by High Court Judge, Justice Sandhill Kissoon on Wednesday.
Sutherland admitted that he caused Roberts’ death on January 9, 2014, at a Kwaimatta Village farm after heavily consuming yeast tonic, a strong Indigenous alcoholic beverage. The offender withdrew his plea on March 27, 2018 after initially saying that he was guilty having pled to the lesser count of manslaughter on March 6 before Justice James Bovell-Drakes at the last criminal session. On March 27, 2018, he was due to be sentenced; weeks after Sutherland’s attorney requested a probation report.
While the Judge did not openly express how his sentence was computed, Justice Kissoon did note that mitigating factors, aggravating factors and time spent awaiting trial were considered. The Judge highlighted the dangers of alcoholic consumption being responsible for some 50 per cent of abuse, domestic and gender-based violence cases.
“The court hopes that you continue the path to rehabilitation,” he observed.
Sutherland’s Attorney Siand Dhurjon in pleas of mitigation had earlier noted that his client and his brother, Franklin Sutherland, were initially charged with murdering their cousin. The sibling was however released on insufficient evidence.
It was reported that the brothers and Roberts travelled to the Kawimatta Village farm and were returning home when the trio began to imbibe but shortly after a fight ensued which resulted in Roberts being thrown to the ground and brutally beaten into an unconscious state. He was subsequently pronounced dead.
Roberts died from asphyxiation, a broken larynx and blunt trauma to the head. The killer, who is native to the village of Annai, was 22 years of age at the time of his crime. The State was represented by Prosecutors Mandell Moore and Lisa Cave.