TWO fishermen on Wednesday confessed to their involvement in the 2017 fatal stabbing of 38-year-old Kawal Shivnauth of Wine Bush, Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

Roopnarine “Helicopter” Persaud and Deonarine “Pascal” Lakhan were indicted for murder, but opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. Their pleas were accepted by Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court.

The duo admitted that on January 9, 2017 at Anna Catherina, WCD, they unlawfully killed Shivnauth.

The state was represented by prosecutors Muntaz Ali and Abigail Gibbs. Persaud was represented by attorney-at-law Dexter Smartt, while Lakhan was represented by attorney-at-law Teriq Mohammed.

Reports indicate that Shivnauth, a sugar estate worker, was killed a few days after he reportedly approached his stepson Lakhan, warning him about harassing Shivnauth’s young daughter.

It is alleged that on January 09, 2017, Persaud, Lakhan and Shivnauth were consuming alcohol at a shop at Anna Catherina. Following that, Persaud advanced towards Shivnauth with a knife and chopped him, the court heard.

Shivnauth armed himself with a broken bottle, but the weapon was taken away by his stepson. The stepson, Lakhan, held onto Shivnauth while Persaud stabbed him several times about the body.

Residents raised an alarm when the altercation occurred and the police were alerted. Shivnauth was pronounced dead on arrival at the Leonora Cottage Hospital and the duo was later arrested.