-grieving mother says loss is like a ‘forever panic attack’

SAMUEL Stewart called ‘Sammy’, who was found guilty of fatally stabbing a Corentyne labourer, was, on Tuesday, sentenced to 17 years in prison by Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Berbice High Court.

Moments before the sentence was handed down, a heart-wrenching impact statement from Camela Surujmohan, the mother of the victim, 25-year-old Partick Raynol called ‘Boy’, was read to the court.

“Nobody will ever understand the pain of a grieving mother. I have waited long for a day like today. This verdict will never bring my son back to me but it will ease the pain in my heart a little,” the woman said to Stewart.

The impact statement detailed how the convict’s criminal actions have not only resulted in the loss of her “beloved son”, but have upturned her life.

“I never had an easy life. I always had a rough patch. My hardship lasted until my son Patrick grew up into a man to help me throw two hands just to see that ends could meet. Losing my son is like losing my breath and never catching it again. It’s a forever panic attack; feeling like my heart is dying as my soul keeps screaming for him and no matter what I try to do, I continue to lose my mind over him. Patrick Raynol, a name I will forever hold in my heart. My son is gone and will soon be forgotten by many, but his mother is left to grieve and suffer for him,” Surujmohan said.

The grieving woman said that her son was the head of the household and helped her throughout the darkest moments of her life. He was their biggest support, she added.

She said that while her son is not alive, her heart still feels his presence and longs for his return, which she knows will never happen.

“I know that my son no longer walks this earth, but my heart still feels his presence around me. I still hear his footsteps and I still wonder about him every single day when I think about what happened that night. I haven’t had a peaceful rest since that day until today. We are somehow trying to convince ourselves into accepting the fact that he is no longer with us and we no longer have that joyful, hard-working and caring son and brother with us,” Surjmohan said.

The woman said she is struggling to move on, especially with the emptiness in her heart; a broken part that will never heal.

Last month, Stewart was on trial for the capital offence and had denied that, on June 16, 2019, at Limlair Village, East Berbice-Corentyne, he murdered Raynol. However, a 12-member jury found him not guilty of murder but confirmed he was liable for the lesser offence of manslaughter.

Justice Morris-Ramlall, while delivering her sentencing remarks, placed weight on the fact that Raynol lost his life due to Stewart’s senseless actions. She also took into consideration that Stewart showed no remorse for his actions.

The judge imposed a 17-year sentence and ordered that prison authorities deduct the time he would have spent on remand. Stewart will also have to undergo anger management counselling while serving his sentence.

According to reports, Stewart and Raynol were at a rum shop located at Limlair Village. Stewart had an issue with Raynol’s relative and attempted to stab him.

However, in an attempt to defend the relative, Raynol stepped in. He was stabbed once to the chest in the region of his heart and fell on a heap of sand by the roadside. Stewart was later apprehended by public-spirited citizens and handed over to the police.