THIRTY-SIX year old convicted killer Shawn Sooklall, who faces a penalty between 15 and 20 years for the unlawful killing of his lover, Tricia Welch, on July 17, 2006, will be sentenced on July 8 by Judge Roxanne George.
Sooklall, who went on trial for murder, had changed his plea from not guilty of murder to guilty of manslaughter after 10 witnesses for the prosecution had testified.
A post mortem revealed how the woman was savagely chopped about the body – one wound slitting the throat from side to side.
But on June 18, after the dramatic change of plea by the accused at the advice of his counsel, Mr. Murseline Bacchus, Justice George requested a probation report on the prisoner and decided to receive the report at the same time of the plea in mitigation yesterday afternoon.
Kenneth Nunes, the Senior Probation and Social Services Officer, among other things, said in his report that the accused had attempted to exonerate himself, laying blame on someone else. He has shown little remorse.
The accused who was brought up by both parents, spent most of his life on the West Coast of Berbice.  He was allowed to leave school at an early age which contributed immensely to his inability to adequately read and write. Hence, he made poor choices in life which have not only affected himself, but his family and the family of the deceased. This is a brutal and heinous crime and society should not condone such evil.
In his plea in mitigation, Mr. Bacchus told the judge that the accused was a first offender who had thrown himself at the mercy of the court. He asked the judge to consider the Criminal Law (Offences) (Amendment) Act of 2010 and use the lesser sentence term as a starting point, and not the higher scale.
The judge announced that Attorney-at-Law Mr. Vidyanand Persaud was mandated to consider sentencing guidelines and has recommended that compensation be considered under Sections 11 – 14 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act Chapter 8:01.
The judge noted that the Probation Report was not favourable to the accused, and asked Mr. Bacchus to find out whether compensation is possible; having regard to the fact that a child is involved and that he treated her kindly and provided for the home. She has educational needs.
Mr. Bacchus said he would have to consult his client in relation to his resources.
The matter was adjourned to Friday July 8 at 2.30 pm for sentencing.
At the beginning of the trial, the defence lawyer had unsuccessfully moved to have the committal and the indictment, which flowed from it, quashed, on the basis that the magistrate did not comply with a section of the Criminal Law Procedure Act. The application was thrown out.
Sooklall was indicted for the unlawful killing of Tricia Welch on July 17, 2006, and state counsel Judith Gildharie-Mursalin and Konyo Sandiford are appearing for the prosecution.