HIGH Court Judge Justice Jo-Ann Barlow sentenced 31-year-old Shawn Harris called ‘Shawny,’ to life imprisonment, with the possibility of parole after serving 20 years, for the 2017 murder of Sunil Singh called ‘Grey.’

The sentence was handed down on Thursday, January 16, 2020 at the Demerara High Court.

Singh was killed, by Harris, in the vicinity of the Blue Martini nightclub in Owen Street, Kitty on February 5, 2017.

Harris was represented by attorney-at-law Maxwell McKay, while the State was represented by prosecutors Shawnette Austin and Sarah Martin.
The Judge explained that there was a possibility that Harris could be rehabilitated, if given the chance. However, the court also considered that Harris escaped from Lusignan Prison and also had prior convictions. He was ordered to undergo counselling.

According to reports, patrol ranks went to the Blue Martini Nightclub and closed the club about 02:45hrs on February 5, 2017, after which they left.
However, shortly after, according to Charles Valenzuela, an employee of the nightspot, three men arrived and wanted to enter the club.

At that point in time, the young man informed them that the club was closed and that resulted in an argument, during which one of the men stabbed Valenzuela to his left arm.
Singh, who was present at the time, intervened and was trying to make peace when the suspect dealt Singh a ‘lash’ to his head.

Singh then reportedly ran north into Railway Street, Kitty, and was pursued by his attacker, who caught up with him and stabbed him several times.

Both Singh and Valenzuela were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where Singh was pronounced dead; Valenzuela was treated and sent away.
In 2016, Harris was released from prison after serving a sentence for drug trafficking. He had also served time for the Bank of Baroda robbery committed at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, on January 22, 2016.