FIFTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Colin Ross who confessed to setting his father’s house afire, resulting in the elderly man’s death, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment by Justice Brassington Reynolds. The murder accused entered a guilty plea to the lesser count of manslaughter, which was accepted by the state. The incident occurred during the early hours of April 10, 2017 at Lot 14 Kildonan Village, Corentyne, Berbice, where the now convicted man lived with his father, 82-year-old Rudolph Ross. The elder Ross was a former overseer in the Bush Lot/Kildonan area. During a Zoom hearing of the Berbice High Court, Probation Officer Dione Douglas made reference to the statement of Roger Kurt, aged 34 years, an academic adviser at the University of Guyana Tain Campus.

Kurt said although he and Colin did not share the same mother, they shared a wonderful relationship and had never had any conflict, even after their father had discussed his intention to transfer his property to him. According to Kurt, there was talk in the community that his father had decided to give him the property, and that this had resulted in the accused committing the act against their father. However, Kurt had expressed the opinion that his brother did not possess the traits to do such an act. Douglas described Colin as intelligent and skilled, having been exposed to all levels of education. He was once employed with the Guyana Forestry Commission as a Monitoring Manager within the Kwakwani community in the Berbice River.  He was previously convicted of simple larceny and had served a two- year sentence (1999- 2001) for that crime.

State prosecutrix Abigail Gibbs had narrated that the charred remains of the octogenarian were discovered after the fire was extinguished. Reports had revealed that there was an argument between Colin and his father, after which he (Colin) sourced important documents before setting the house on fire, and fleeing the scene.
In handing down the sentence, Justice Reynolds started at 22 years, but deducted five years for time spent, and another five for good behaviour. Defence counsel was Sasha Roberts.