LAWRENCE Rambarran of Cat Walk, Port Kaituma, Region 1, who was indicted for the murder of his reputed wife, Deborah Anne Allen, who was slashed to death with a cutlass on July 15th, 2007, has been convicted of manslaughter.

Justice James Bovell-Drakes yesterday commended Probation Officer, Wesley Albert for providing a balanced report on Rambarran, 38, and expressed the hope that other probation officers would do likewise rather than give one-sided accounts.
Pointing out that he would take some time to read over the report, the judge reserved sentencing for Monday morning at 10:30 am.
According to the accused, he and his wife and others were drinking alcohol at the time and he was under the influence of liquor. He told the Probation Officer that the trouble started after he saw a man leaving a bathroom and being followed by his reputed wife who was pulling up her pants, causing him to ‘get certain ideas’.
Rambarran, called ‘Tall Man’, was employed as a carpenter-contractor in Region 1. He only attended school for eight days as he had to do child labour from the age of eight to earn money to assist his mother and younger siblings.
Probation Officer, Albert said that while some members of the community described the accused as being hard working and always providing for his family, others said that he was a cruel man after he had wounded his brother-in-law one year prior to his involvement in the current matter.
In January, 2008, the accused was charged and placed before the Mathews Ridge Magistrate’s Court for the criminal offence of attempted murder. However, the virtual complainant, the brother of the deceased, offered no further evidence and was duly compensated by the accused.
The Probation Officer also said that relatives of the deceased, in an interview, were adamant that the accused should be appropriately dealt with by the justice system.
The accused has admitted his involvement in his wife’s death and has expressed remorse. According to the Probation Officer, he stated that he is sorry for the loss of a life.  However, he also indicated that he was under the influence of alcohol when he committed the offence.
In conclusion, the probation report stated that the accused was deprived of an education from childhood as he had to work to assist in maintaining his mother and his younger siblings. The parental separation had impacted negatively on the upbringing of the accused, the report added.
State Counsel Miss Natasha Backer conducted the case for the prosecution.
Mr. Peter Hugh, defence counsel, in his plea in mitigation told the judge, “This accused can still make a very valuable contribution to society and I will ask the court to give him an opportunity to do so.”
The prisoner, who has been remanded to prison, will be sentenced on Monday.