Man sentenced to over 16 years for killing reputed wife

A 47-year-old resident of Hill Foot, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, Linden Jason Kellman, has been sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison for the killing of his reputed wife, Umadai “Samantha” Lall, following a violent domestic incident in December 2022. Kellman had initially faced a charge of murder, but he opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter when he appeared before Justice Zamilla Ally-Seepaul in the High Court in Demerara. The judge imposed a base sentence of 25 years, from which one-third was deducted in recognition of the guilty plea. No further deductions were granted, as the aggravating and mitigating factors were deemed to offset each other. The case was prosecuted by State Counsel Nelissa Peterkin, assisted by State Counsel Praneta Seeraj and State Counsel Christopher Belfield, who urged the court to consider the gravity of the offence and its devastating impact on the victim’s family.
According to the case presented, the fatal incident occurred between December 1 and 2, 2022, at the couple’s Hill Foot residence. Witness Rolston Melville, who lived in the upper flat of the same building, told the court that he heard Kellman assaulting Lall on the night of December 1. The following morning, Kellman contacted Lall’s brother and told him that she was unresponsive.

She was subsequently taken to the hospital, where doctors confirmed she was dead. A police detective later testified that Kellman, when approached by investigators, admitted that he and Lall had been involved in a fight and that she was motionless the next morning. During a recorded interview, Kellman said that he had hit his wife “a few times” after accusing her of drinking alcohol in front of their young child. He told investigators that the confrontation began after he returned from work and found the house in disarray and his wife consuming alcohol, behaviour he claimed had become frequent. He said he confronted her about the untidy home and the child’s exposure to that environment, and the situation escalated into physical violence. A post-mortem examination conducted by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh revealed that Lall sustained multiple blunt trauma injuries to her head and chest, along with a lacerated spleen. The cause of death was given as haemorrhage and shock due to these injuries. Prosecutors argued that the attack was unprovoked and that Kellman’s failure to seek immediate medical assistance showed a “callous disregard for human life.”
They noted that Lall was left in distress throughout the night and that help was only sought after family members intervened the following morning. The court also heard victim impact statements from several of Lall’s relatives. Her eldest daughter, Kulwantie Munilall, said her mother’s death had left a deep emotional scar, adding that caring for her younger brother served as a constant reminder of the loss.
Lall’s sister, Mahadai Lall, said she was heartbroken upon seeing her sibling’s lifeless body and lamented that the deceased’s young child would grow up without ever knowing his mother. Another sibling, Krishna Lall, said his sister’s death had “taken a piece” of him, describing the ordeal as “a brutal and senseless act.” The prosecution emphasised that domestic violence remains a serious societal concern and urged the court to impose a sentence that reflects both the gravity of the offence and the need for deterrence. They cited legal precedents such as Edwin Farfan v. The State, which underscores the court’s duty to impose punishment that aligns with public condemnation of violent acts. A pre-sentence report provided insight into Kellman’s background. Before his arrest, Kellman worked as a self-employed welder and fabricator, supporting his three children. The report also described him as generally quiet, respectful, and cooperative during his incarceration, where he participated in educational and religious programmes, including psychology and Bible study. In his statement to the court, Kellman expressed remorse and embarrassment over the killing, saying he did not intend for his wife to die. He apologised to her relatives, asking for forgiveness.
His Attorney, Edrianna Stephen of Hughes, Fields & Stoby, presented mitigating evidence and a character reference on his behalf, noting that Kellman had accepted responsibility for his actions. In delivering her ruling, Justice Ally-Seepaul acknowledged the remorse shown by the accused but stressed that the crime represented a severe breach of trust within a domestic setting. She said the sentence was intended not only as punishment but also as a message of deterrence against domestic violence. Kellman will serve 16 years and eight months behind bars, a punishment the court said reflects both justice for the victim and society’s ongoing fight against domestic abuse.