TWO men who killed a watchman at the Williamsburg Mandir back in 2013 were on Thursday jailed for life by Justice Priya Sewnarine Beharry at the Berbice Assizes.
They were charged for the murder of Jagdat Ramcharran.

The sentence was handed down following probation reports on the duo. Senior Probation and Social Services Officer Ms. Vadney Shultz, revealed that Shivnarine Jainarine, aged 24, had aborted his academic pursuit at age 11 and had ventured into the workforce as a labourer in an attempt to assist his mother who was afflicted with a terminal illness.

However, in her report, the other Senior Probation Officer, Ms. Egla October said that the other accused, Ryan Persaud, was previously convicted on a charge of larceny from the person. Persaud had been admitted at the Juvenile Holding Centre, Sophia.
While, he was a remand prisoner at the New Amsterdam Prison pending this current trial, an improvised weapon was found on his person by prison officials and, when he was caught, he abused the officers.

Meanwhile, in an impact assessment on the family of the deceased, Shultz said following the death of Jagdat Ramcharran, who was the breadwinner of his home, his wife Devika remained in a state of distress up until her demise in 2016. Subsequent to his parents’ death, Rabindra Ramcharran aborted his job as a machinist and became an alcoholic. A sibling who is mentally challenged and was once cared for by his mother has since gone to live with relatives.

Rehashing the evidence which were drawn mainly from the caution statements attributed to the men, the judge recalled that while the youths were not the principal offenders they confessed to witnessing the killings and had collected the proceeds of the robbery.

Jainarine collected $5000, while Persaud got $1500, the following day after the murder. The judge took into consideration the nature and prevalence of the offence and that the duo remained unremorseful. She also stipulated that the convicts will not be eligible for parole until they would have served forty five years imprisonment.

In his mitigation plea, Attorney Arundranauth Gossai asked the court to consider Jainarine’s time spent on remand (five years) and that it was his first brush with the law. With respect to Persaud, the lawyer noted that the improvised weapon, though not excusable, was due to the fact that he was a mere 17-year-old and was exposed to an environment of crude adults.

Meanwhile, at the time of the killing, both convicts were teenagers. They had resided at Tain, Port Mourant, and Lot 26 Williamsburg, Rose Hall Town, both Corentyne locations respectively.

Jainarine and Persaud, were indicted with the murder of Ramcharran which was committed between January 6-7 2013 at the Iskcon Hari Krishna Mandir at Block 6 Williamsburg, Corentyne, Berbice. Bothe men had pleaded not guilty.

In his opening address, State Prosecutor Mr. Mondel Moore said the now deceased watchman was conducting his duties at the Mandir when the two accused along with others broke and entered the place of worship and in the course of committing a burglary unlawfully killed Jagdat Ramcharran, a father of two.

His bloodied remains were subsequently discovered by a worshipper who moments earlier scaled the locked gate after getting no response from Jagdat. The temple was ransacked and several items including a bell and a pair of gold slippers were missing.

During the trial which was punctuated with a lengthy voir dire, several witnesses testified including the Hindu Priest Seoram Terat, Worshipper Liludhar Kishundial, the son of the deceased Rabindra Jagdat, along with several police witnesses, including ex-police detective Ragnauth. In the meantime, a former co-accused Kevin Hintez had thrown in the towel in January and pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment.