Rum shop brawl: Fishermen jailed for over 10 years each for killing estate worker

…“I am sorry” – killer to victim’s family

The fishermen who confessed to fatally stabbing West Coast Demerara (WCD) sugar estate employee Kawal Shivnauth to death, were each handed varying prison sentences on Monday.

Deonarine Lakhan, 28, of Leonora, WCD, and Roopnarine Persaud, 23, of Matthew’s Ridge, Region One (Barima-Waini), were initially indicted for Shivnauth’s murder but opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter before Justice Sandil Kissoon in July.
They admitted that on January 9, 2017, at Edinburgh, WCD, they killed 38-year-old Shivnauth.
While Lakhan called “Pascal” was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the crime, Persaud called “Helicopter” was imprisoned for 12 years and 10 months as the Judge adjusted his sentence upward because of aggravating factors.

State Counsel Muntaz Ali presented the State’s case while Persaud was represented by Attorney-at-Law Dexter Smartt, and Lakhan by Attorney-at-Law Teriq Mohammed.
The murder took place during a drinking spree at a bar.
It was reported that Persaud began arguing with Shivnauth, and took out a knife, and chopped him. Shivnauth then picked up a beer bottle to defend himself, but Lakhan took the bottle away from him, lashed him with it, and told Persaud to “juck him”.
It was reported that Shivnauth, also called “Rupee”, was stabbed six times in the vicinity of his heart. He also sustained a slash to the lower abdomen, along with another to his hand.

The argument broke out after Persaud accused the now dead man of “troubling” his sister.
The injured man was pronounced dead on arrival at the Leonora Cottage Hospital.
At the time of his demise, Shivnauth worked at the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate on the WCD.
After the stabbing incident, Persaud fled the scene, but was later arrested in Matthew’s Ridge, where he resides. Following interrogation, he implicated Lakhan in the fatal stabbing.

Wreak havoc
During the convicts’ sentencing hearing on Monday, Justice Kissoon condemned the senseless killing of Shivnauth, adding that the consumption of alcohol continues to wreak havoc and destruction in the Guyanese society.
In so doing, he alluded to the numerous lives lost because of excessive alcohol consumption at bars as well as fatal accidents caused by persons driving under the influence. In light of this, the Judge pointed out that the time has come to review the law regulating liquor licences and the sale of alcohol under those licences to hold bar owners accountable when these tragedies occur.
In his address to the court, Persaud said that he wants to be a better person and offered an apology to the family of the deceased man.
“I would like to apologise for the death of Kawal Shivnauth. I would like to apologise to the relatives that I am sorry. I would like to apologise to the State… being a killer is not a part of me.”
Lakhan, on the other hand, pleaded with Justice Kissoon for mercy.
“I am very sorry for the loss of a life. I am sorry to his [Shivnauth’s] mother, his father, his children, his wife, his brother. I’m sorry to this court how life turned off. It was not my intention to do something like this…I am pleading for mercy.”
Lakhan told the Judge that being in prison has changed his life for the better.
In the end, Justice Kissoon ordered that both Persaud and Lakhan enrol in anger management, and drug rehabilitation programmes, and classes for alcoholics and that they benefit from trade classes offered by the prison to aid in their rehabilitation for reintegration into society. (G1)