MICHAEL Andrew Powley, 44, was tried at the Demerara Assizes for the murder of Vishivanauth Narine at Vreed-en-Hoop at the current session.

But the mixed jury, perhaps accepting the accused’s contention that the man (now deceased) was attired only in a ‘bucta’ that day when he was attacking the accused’s wife with a broken bottle causing him to intervene resulting in Buddy’s death, returned a verdict of not guilty of murder, but guilty of the lesser count of manslaughter.
Presiding Judge, James Bovell-Drakes suspended sentence and ordered a Probation report on the accused.
That report was presented to the court on Monday.
Among other things, it said that apart from that single incident, the accused had a clean record, and that it was unfortunate that he got involved in a fight, in order to defend his reputed wife, Drupatie Totaram, who was allegedly being physically abused by the deceased Vishivnauth Narine, called ‘Buddy’
Even though the deceased was the aggressor, the accused should have been the one to avoid a further mayhem. Regrettably a life was lost and as a result, this Honourable Court may adjudicate in this matter as it deems fit, the Probation and Social Services Officer, Region 3, said.
The judge noted that according to the evidence, the accused was the only person who was armed with an instrument that could have been used to inflict the injury that caused death.
The judge, after looking at the evidence and listening to a plea in mitigation from defence counsel, Mr. Basil Williams, sentenced the accused
to 13 years imprisonment.
Lawyers Miss Natasha Backer and Miss Stacy Goodings prosecuted.
Before the accused left the dock on his journey to prison, a female relative for the defence told lawyer Williams, “We will appeal.”
By George Barclay