CHRISTOPHER Van Nooten, a resident of Mabaruma in the North-West District (NWD), has been sentenced to a 15-year prison term for the crime of manslaughter.
The 50-year-old man had initially pleaded guilty to the charge that, on April 18, 2022, he murdered Sherwin Smith, of Kumaka Water Front, NWD, who was 44 years old.

As a result, his trial began in front of a 12-person jury and Justice Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus of the Demerara High Court. Midway through the trial, Van Nooten’s attorney did, however, announce that his client intended to enter a guilty plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Thus, after the court accepted Van Nooten’s guilty plea, the judge gave the jury instructions to find him guilty of manslaughter but not guilty of murder.
The trial judge then imposed the custodial sentence last Friday.

According to reports, Van Nooten stabbed Smith at the Mabaruma Settlement Ground. A statement from the police had said that, on the day in question, a policeman at the eastern gate of the ground saw when Van Nooten walked towards Smith holding a knife.
Van Nooten then walked up to Smith and dealt him several stabs about his body.

The law enforcement officer promptly intervened and successfully disarmed Van Nooten. Smith, who was injured, made his way to a nearby car and subsequently collapsed.
He was then urgently transported to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital, where medical attention was provided for injuries sustained to his left abdomen and neck.

He unfortunately succumbed to his injuries around 20:00 hours on the same date. It is believed that an old grievance between the two led to the stabbing.