SEVENTY-five-year-old Albert Andries, the stepfather accused of murdering his stepson, 34-year-old Lakeram Persaud, called ‘Bojo’, on July 27, 2012, allegedly following an argument, was sentenced last week to 10 years’ imprisonment for the lesser count of manslaughter, after a mixed jury that tried the accused for murder found him guilty of the lesser count of manslaughter, and Justice Dawn Gregory imposed the penalty accordingly.

Andries, who had pleaded not guilty to the capital offence, claimed that his stepson was in the habit of teasing and provoking him, and he said that had led to him losing his temper and chopping the stepson on the day in question.

Madam Justice Dawn Gregory, who had addressed the jury on the question of manslaughter, had told the aged prisoner that four of the incised wounds he had inflicted on the victim were serious wounds.

Asked whether he had anything to say before sentence was passed, Andries said he was sorry for what had happened. And his lawyer, Miss Sonia Parag, in a plea in mitigation, told the judge that her client was remorseful for what he had done, and was respectfully asking the court to be lenient with him.

Before imposing the sentence, Justice Gregory mentioned that the jury might have taken into account the question of self-defence and provocation; but she pointed out that there was a lot of anger in the offence, which she has to bear in mind.

On being escorted from the dock to prison, Andries said goodbye to his wife, who had attended the trial, and told her that he was sorry for what had happened.
She later told the Chronicle, “He says that he is sorry now, but he never used to think about sorrow when I used to speak to him.”

The prosecution was conducted by Miss Mercedes Thompson, in association with new lawyer, Mr. Lloyd Mark Conway.
Written By George Barclay