Justice Claudette La Bennett imposed the sentence on the 46-year-old prisoner, of Lot 99 Alexander Street, Rampoor, Corriverton, Corentyne, who pleaded not guilty.

He was originally indicted for murder but the State accepted his plea to the lesser offence.

Narrating the circumstances under which the crime was committed, State Prosecutor Ganesh Hira said, on January 14, 2004, the convict and his common law wife, Nankumarie Latchan retired to bed, at their Number 54, Corentyne home.

But, on awaking to relieve himself during the night, the prisoner discovered that she was missing from their bedroom.

He thought she had gone to use the bathroom but a search there did not find her.

A caution statement he made to the Police, on November 29, 2006, some 22 months after, said Jagram had opened the back door that night in 2004 and, on venturing outside, saw his wife making love with an unidentifiable Indian man on a water tank in the yard.

Jagram said he asked the woman what wickedness she was doing and her companion lashed him causing an injury over his right eye.

In retaliation, Jagram said he picked up a piece of firewood that was nearby, with the intention to hitting his assailant but his spouse pushed the man away and the blow caught her head.

When she fell, he left her there and went to Suriname, he said.

Hira said a post mortem examination, conducted on the deceased by Government Pathologist Dr Vivikanand Brijmohan, revealed that death was due to a fractured skull and cerebral haemorrhage.

In a mitigation plea for the killer, Defence Counsel Johaswir Misir said the former was involved in a struggle with another man over his wife.

The lawyer said the prisoner is remorseful and saddened at the tragedy that befell his 53-year-old partner.

Misir noted that Jagram had limited education and worked temporarily as a farmer and labourer.

The father of two children, aged 16 and nine years, is a first offender who was pleading for justice be tempered with mercy, Defence Counsel said.

Justice La Bennett, before sentencing Jagram, told him, just as he had packed his bags and fled to Suriname after the killing, he should have done similarly when he saw signs of unfaithfulness in his wife.