Professor Mars’s killers to serve 4 more years in jail

…to undergo period of probation after release

Timothy Paul Chance and Andre Benajmin sat calmly as Demerara High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon sentenced each of them to 10 years’ imprisonment for brutally killing Professor Pariedeau Mars during a robbery at the 75-year-old man’s Prashad Nagar, Georgetown home.
Chance, 23, and Benjamin, 22, though initially indicted for the capital offence of murder, opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter midway through their trial, admitting that they unlawfully killed the elderly man on May 12, 2016.
But with the Judge directing that they be given full credit for time spent on remand — which adds up to about six years — the convicts will therefore have to spend four more years in custody.
Both men, during their address to the court on Wednesday, expressed remorse for their criminal act, begging the victim’s family and the court for forgiveness, and the Judge for a lenient sentence, to allow them an opportunity of a second chance at life.
A crying Benjamin told the family of the deceased Mars that although he knows there is nothing he can do to bring back their loved one, he is deeply saddened by the situation. “I am seeking forgiveness from the family of Mr. Mars. I am begging you [the Judge] to give me a second chance.”
Chance, for his part, said he has already spent six years in jail, and is hoping for an opportunity to go back into society to start a family and be a role model to young people.
According to the young man, while incarcerated, he has taken several classes that have empowered him to be a respectable and law-abiding citizen.
During an interview with a probation officer, Chance revealed that he was enticed by his girlfriend, with whom he was living at the time, to take part in the robbery.
Benjamin, during a similar interview, said that when he arrived at the professor’s home, the pensioner was already tied up, and he was encouraged to take his valuables.
Reports from the prison disclosed that both men are well-behaved inmates. Similar reports were received from members of their respective communities, who expressed shock at their involvement in the crime.
The presiding Judge, in his sentencing remarks, described Mars’s killing as “brutal and callous”, noting that the academic was brutally murdered in his home. Justice Kissoon said Professor Mars had lived a life of service and sacrifice that was driven by his passion for education.
He pointed out that the offence for which the duo pleaded guilty is a grave one, simply because citizens are deprived of their property through violence, fear and force, often time in the comfort of their homes.
Justice Kissoon nevertheless acknowledged that Chance and Benjamin were children at the time of the commissioning of the offence, and as such, he is bound to follow the the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act in considering an appropriate sentence for them.
In the instant case, Justice Kissoon noted that the mitigating factors outweigh the aggravating circumstances, as he outlined the duo’s unblemised criminal record as well as their efforts to reform themselves from behind bars. Apart from imposing a custodial sentence, Justice Kissoon ordered the men to undergo a period of probation of three years after their release from prison. This will see them reporting to the Chief Probation Officer, notifying the officer of any change in their address, and remaining in Guyana unless granted permission by the court to leave. During the period of probation, Chance has to enroll at an educational institution to write not less than five subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination. Benjamin must enroll at a technical institute to complete training in electrical installation. A report on the young men’s attendance, performance and progress will be submitted to the court every three months.
The Judge explained that these orders are to aid in their meaningful rehabilitation and reintegration into society, and to minimise the chances of recidivism. Should they violate any of these orders, Chance and Benjamin would be remanded to prison to serve an additional 12 months.
Back in 2019, 21-year-old Naomi Adams, 23-year-old Nikisha Dover, and 22-year-old Orin McRae, who had been jointly charged along with Benjamin and Chance, also confessed to killing the elderly man. Initially indicted for the capital offence of murder, they, too, opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter when they appeared before Justice Navindra Singh.
Adams, being the first to confess to the crime, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, while her co-accused Dover and McRae were each jailed for 12 years. It was ordered that the prison authorities deduct from their sentence the years each of them had spent in pre-trial custody.
It was reported that Mars, also known as “Perry”, of Bissessar Avenue, Prashad Nagar, Georgetown, was found bound and beaten in his home at about 18:30h on May 12, 2016 by his wife, upon her return from Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). He was subsequently rushed to a private city hospital, where he died while receiving treatment.
Investigations revealed that Dover was known to the now-dead professor, as she would frequently visit his home. She conspired with the others to rob the elderly man who was at home alone. An iPhone, cash, laptop, and gaming console were among the items stolen from Mars’s home. (G1)