At Demerara Assizes…
JUSTICE James Bovell-Drakes yesterday sentenced 49-year-old Kazim Mohamed to 12 years imprisonment for the manslaughter of his brother, Nazim Mohamed, on January 16, 2005.

Kazim Mohamed

The judge noting that the prisoner was found not guilty of murder but guilty of the less serious offence, declared that citizens are becoming too preoccupied with violence.

The convict, a security guard, had said, following an argument between them, the victim lashed him with a piece of wood and was approaching him menacingly with a knife, which he took away and stabbed his sibling in the back.

Following the jury’s verdict two weeks ago, the judge had postponed sentencing and ordered a probe into the convict’s background.

Before imposing sentence, the judge told the prisoner that society abhors that type of conduct and has gone far in trying to persuade all its citizens that it is not lawful and made the crime punishable with very serious consequences.

Noting that he could jail Mohamed for life, Justice Bovell-Drakes said it is important that the latter understands this.

“It is important that others out there, in the society, understand this also, in as much as many persons outside are choosing to pursue the violent conclusion of conflict that they have with other human beings.

“They, like you, must understand that, to do so, smacks of incivility, gruffness, inhuman conduct,” the judge admonished the prisoner.

Justice Bovell-Drakes scolded him: “By your act, you invaded and woefully disregarded the sanctity of a body. This is contrary to civilised or cultured principles.”

“Regardless of what your brother had done to you, that is to say to lashed you across your back and ankle and approached you menacingly with a knife after you had overpowered him, you were supposed to stop.”

The judge observed that people resort to violence rather quickly and use deadly weapons with deadly force.

Having read the findings in the probation report and listened to the plea in mitigation, by Defence Counsel Peter Hugh, the judge said, while serving the sentence, Mohamed will be subjected to therapy that will ensure that he develops skills to control his anger and help him to reintroduce himself into society, as a better, more sedate man, on his release.

The case for the Prosecution was presented by state Counsel Prithima Kissoon and Dianna Boyan.