-time in pre-trial custody to be deducted

SIX years after Foulis, East Coast Demerara businessman, Rajendra Singh was kidnap and later killed, four men have confessed to the crime and were each sentenced to 11 and a half years’ imprisonment.

Deonauth Katwaru called “Pumpkin”; Tony Thomas called “Fix up”; Michael Lewis called “Jet lee” and Adony James called “Pinkey”, on Tuesday, appeared before Justice Navindra Singh at the Georgetown High Court.

The quartet opted to plead to the lesser count of manslaughter which alleged that, between April 5 and April 9, 2014, at the Le Repentir Cemetery, Georgetown, they killed Singh.
According to reports, on the evening of April 5, 2014, Singh was held at gunpoint and kidnapped from his business place at Foulis.
Singh’s wife was later contacted and told to pay a ransom of $50M for his return. The ransom was later reduced to $25M and when it was not paid, Singh was shot and killed by his kidnappers.

On April 9, 2014, his body was discovered in Le Repentir Cemetery with his hands bound and a gunshot wound to his head.
Before sentencing, state prosecutor Tyra Bakker asked the court to consider that Singh’s murder was a senseless and cowardly act which stemmed from greed.
According to Bakker, Singh was a man who provided for his family. The family, she said, still mourns his death.

The prosecutor asked the court to let the sentence reflect the nature and gravity of the crime committed. She also asked that the sentence be one which would deter the quartet and others from committing such a crime.

Justice Singh, sentenced the quartet to serve 11 and a half years each. The judge also ordered that the prison authorities deduct from the sentence, the time the men spent in pre-trial custody.