Son sentenced to 35 years’ imprisonment for murder of mother

Forty-nine-year-old Deonarine Dookhoo was sentenced on Tuesday to 35 years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering his mother, Teshwattie “Babo” Jaglall. The High Court described the killing as of extreme gravity, involving gratuitous violence against a vulnerable victim in a domestic setting. The sentence was imposed by Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Berbice High Court following a detailed sentencing hearing that examined both the seriousness of the offence and the personal circumstances of the offender. Dookhoo, a father of two, was convicted by a jury during the October criminal assizes for the killing, which occurred between June 30 and July 1, 2021, at the family’s home at Number Three Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB). In outlining the sentence, Justice Kissoon explained that the court was required to apply a structured sentencing framework, beginning with an assessment of the objective seriousness of the offence before considering any mitigating or aggravating factors. The judge noted that under Guyana’s law, the offence of murder carries a maximum penalty of death, but emphasised that sentencing courts must determine where a particular case falls on the scale of seriousness, guided by comparative case law and established judicial principles.

In Dookhoo’s case, the court concluded that the offence ranked high on that scale, citing the brutality of the attack, the use of excessive force and the familial relationship between the accused and the victim. Justice Kissoon said the killing constituted a profound betrayal of trust, stressing that crimes involving the murder of a parent by a child strike at the very foundation of family life and social order.
Among the aggravating factors identified by the court were the vulnerability of the victim, the domestic environment in which the offence occurred and the severity and multiplicity of the injuries inflicted. The judge also highlighted that the violence used was inconsistent with any suggestion of accidental or impulsive conduct, noting that the medical and forensic evidence demonstrated a sustained and forceful attack. While the issue of motive was considered, Justice Kissoon stated that the absence of a clearly articulated motive did not lessen the seriousness of the offence, particularly in light of the level of violence involved.
In mitigation, the court took into account that Dookhoo, had already spent approximately four years on remand awaiting trial. In keeping with sentencing principles, he was given credit for that period. However, Justice Kissoon ruled that the mitigating factors did not outweigh the gravity of the offence, nor the need for a sentence that reflected punishment, deterrence and the protection of society.
The judge emphasised that sentences in such cases must also serve to express society’s condemnation of acts of extreme violence, particularly those committed within the family unit. After weighing all factors, Justice Kissoon imposed a sentence of 35 years’ imprisonment, concluding that the offence demanded a substantial custodial term to mark the seriousness of the crime and deter similar acts. During the trial, the court heard that Dookhoo, a security guard, had a history of alcohol abuse and would frequently become aggressive or abusive when his mother confronted him about his drinking or when he wanted money. Jaglall sustained multiple severe injuries, including lacerations to her head, eye, shoulder, wrist and fingers. Following the murder, Dookhoo claimed to neighbours and police that three men had broken into the house and attacked his mother while he was not at home. Investigators became suspicious due to inconsistencies in his story and the lack of forced entry. The victim, Teshwattie Jaglall, also known as “Babo,” was described during the trial as a family matriarch who played an active role in caring for her grandchildren.