MICHAEL Caesar, called ‘Mikey’, who pleaded not guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter for both the Lusignan and Bartica Massacres, was on Thursday sentenced to a total of 60 years imprisonment.

Addressing the court before his sentences, which will run concurrently, was read by presiding judge, Justice Roxane George, Caesar said:

“With all due respect your honour, I come in town at a young age and followed the wrong company.

“I would like the families of the deceased to show mercy, and I would like to change my life to become a better person.”

In response, Justice George told him that it was too late for mercy; that he should have asked a long time ago; and that he would have time enough while in jail to turn his life around.

According to the indictment, Caesar pleaded not guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter for eight of 11 counts of murder in the January 26, 2008 Lusignan Massacre.

Caesar was indicted for the murders of Shazam Mohamed, 22; Vanessa Thomas, 12; Ron Thomas, 11; Clarence Thomas, 48; Seegopaul Harilall, 10; Seegobin Harilall, four; Mohandai Goordat, 32; and Shaleem Baksh, 52.

Before the sentence was passed, the court heard from State Prosecutor Diana Kaulesar, how the murder came about, from the time Caesar received a call saying he had “a big wuk” to go on, right down to his meeting up on the ‘Buxton Linetop’ with ‘Fine-man’, ‘Chung Boy’, ‘Mud Up’, ‘Small Friend’, ‘John I’ and two other men, where they learnt that the target was a house in Lusignan Pasture with two barrels of money, which, apparently, was a hoax.

Kaulesar quoted Caesar as saying that search as he and his cohorts might, they didn’t find what they’d expected, and perforce left empty-handed.

PROBATION REPORT
They also heard from Senior Probation and Social Services Officer, Mr. Aggrey Azore, who spoke about how Caesar’s unfortunate upbringing at Fyrish, on the Corentyne; his not having a formal education; and not having any intimate relationship to speak of all helped him turn to a life of crime.

Azore said while some in his community of origin spoke highly of Caesar, others said they feared him as his name was synonymous with criminal activities.

His mother, on the other hand, couldn’t understand how he came to such a pass, as he’d always been “a very willing and generous child growing up,” sentiments that were expressed by many in his Fyrish hometown.

Azore said where the Bartica Massacre was concerned, which took place on February 17, 2008, he learnt from Caesar that he did it because of peer pressure; that he dared not show fear, lest he be branded a coward.

The court also heard from Caesar’s lawyer, Maxwell McKay, who asked for leniency since his client had accepted responsibility for his actions and did not waste the court’s time with a trial.

McKay further contended that his client was led astray by ‘Fine-Man’ and his gang, and asked that he not be given consecutive sentences.

JUDGE’S PRONOUNCEMENT
Justice George, who was not to be persuaded, reminded the court that within the space of one month, Caesar was involved in two serious crimes in which 20 persons, including children, were killed.

Admitting that the case was not as open and shut as one might have come to expect, given Caesar’s involvement in a ‘joint criminal enterprise’ which resulted in the tragic loss of lives, Justice George said that granted some had painted a rosy picture of the accused before he turned to a life of crime, he has to bear the consequences of his actions.

Among some of the factors she took into consideration before handing down sentence were the fact that the crimes were highly organised and unprovoked, and the prevalence of the mass killings, whereby the victims were going about their normal lives and did not have an inkling of what was going to happen to them when the gang descended on them. In the circumstances, the judge said, she considers Caesar to be a danger to society.

SENTENCING
For the Lusignan Massacre, Caesar was sentenced to 65 years in jail, but Justice George deducted seven years for time served, and 11 for his guilty plea and mitigating factors and remorse shown.

Justice George said he will have to serve 40 years before he could become eligible for parole on each count of the eight murders, and that his sentence will run concurrently.

For the Bartica Massacre, he was sentenced to 75 years in jail, but because 15 were deducted, he will now have to serve 60 years on each count of 12 murders to run concurrently.

He will also have to serve 40 calendar years, before he is eligible for parole.
His partner in crime, Clebert Reece, called ‘Chi-Chi’, was sentenced to 35 years in jail last month. He, too,had pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.