Ateenager, who is responsible for stabbing a taxi driver to death in Berbice during 2016, was on Wednesday given a three-year jail sentence.
Justice Brassington Reynolds ordered that he be held in a juvenile facility until his 20th birthday, which will be January 5, 2022.
The 17-year-old pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and probation was ordered before he was sentenced on Wednesday.
On June 5, 2016 the teenager stabbed taxi driver, Deonarine Laljit, called “Baba”, of Number 72 Village, East Berbice, Corentyne.
Dead: Deonarine Laljit
The prosecution contended that at about midday, the teenager entered Laljit’s car in the vicinity of the Number 69 Village, Corentyne and was r heading to Baul Street, Corriverton. Reports are that the teen waited until he was alone in the car with the driver, after which he stabbed the Laljit in his neck.
Residents of Line Path, had stated, that they saw Laljit’s car stopped at Baul Street, Line Path ‘E’, Corriverton at about 12:30h. However, they subsequently saw a teen rushing out of the car after which they saw the driver exiting said car with blood gushing from his throat.
According to probation report presented by Probation and Welfare officer Vooneshewarie Gopaul, the taxi driver was in the habit of telling the teenager taunting things about his elder sister. On one occasion the driver reportedly told the teen he was “pretty” and if he was a girl he would have had a relationship with him.
According to the probation report, on the day in question, he was a passenger in the car and as they were at Linepath Laljit and the teen were reportedly involved in a heated argument. After some minutes, the irate teenager reportedly whipped out a knife and stabbed Laljit to his left side neck and face.
At the time he was 15.
Justice Reynolds said it was a “crazy task for the court in such circumstances in enforcing the law in a way that can see our society comfortable with our daily lives and balancing it with submission s which were earlier made by Attorney at law Chandra Sohan on behalf of the teenager.”
Sohan had submitted that the teenager was remorseful and was provoked. He also mentioned his tender age at the time of the crime and noted that the teenager had engaged himself in developmental programs while being incrassated.
In imposing the sentence, the judge said that there were certain conditions to be attached. The judge said that upon his release the teen who would by then turn 20, must visit the probation officer within 72-hours. He was also ordered to continue visits to the probation officer as recommended by the probation officer and that officer must approve his place of work. If he is to move to another location it first must be approved by the probation officer.
