Dear Editor,
It was a shock for me to observe in the Stabroek News of Thursday, October 27, 2016, page 15, a headline captioned “Man gets two years for million robbery.”
In my opinion, it appears that the court system and our justice system is encouraging criminality in our country. To give a two year sentence to a million robbery, makes me believe that robbery is a very profitable business venture to those inclined to such a way of life.
In addition to making criminality profitable, the justice system helps also to demotivate the police who put tremendous energy and talents to apprehend the criminals. Bails are given too easily, especially through the High Court, which many criminals use to abscond the jurisdiction and go underground.
A two-year sentence makes a mockery of the people in this country and definitely encourages youths, who may wish to pursue a life of criminality. For such a short period of incarceration, with free security protection, a bed, and free food, along with medical attention, for some of these bandits, prison is like a cake walk.
I note that the accused was given four years for possessing illegal arms and ammunition. I believe that the sentence should always be to the maximum and should serve consecutively as a deterrent to those whose lives are tuned for criminality. Four years for such weapons, seems like a pat on the shoulder for a job well done.
James Samuels has lost firearms, a quantity of gold and diamonds, metal safes, flat screen televisions, several bottles of foreign liquor and US,000.
With his imprisonment, Nabadamingi Gobin does not have to repay the gentleman who lost values to the total of million. Some people don’t make that money in a lifetime and even if they live for several lifetimes, they will still be unable to make that money.
Also, this is where I believe our justice system needs upgrading and adjustment. I believe prison should not be a walk in the park, but should be something to feared, and feel like their life will wither away in torturous confinement of a prison cell. But mostly that they are placed to do hard labour to be paid for the purpose of compensation to the party who was robbed. Of course of the severity of sentences, for exceptional behaviour, and promise via a legal system to work and compensate the victims, the criminal can be sent on probation. Our entire justice system needs an overhauling to provide maximum prison sentence to those who deserve prison.
Sincerely,
Roshan Khan
