DONALD Grovesnor was sentenced to six years in prison by the High Court last Wednesday, following his guilty plea to the charge of manslaughter in the death of Suraj Jailall, a fellow villager.

Grovesnor’s sentence marks the conclusion of a tragic case stemming from an altercation in Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara (WBD), in 2019.

Originally facing a murder charge, Grovesnor, 30, known as “Black Boy,” of Sisters Village, WBD opted to plead guilty to the lesser count. He admitted that he unlawfully killed 29-year-old Jailall, called ‘Nishal’, between March 3 and 4, 2019.

According to reports, the conflict that started in February that year escalated into violence when the two men drank together at a community shop on March 3, 2024.

An argument erupted, leading Grovesnor to confront Jailall, who also resided in the same community.

While he initially returned home, Grovesnor came back armed with a cutlass and struck Jailall, who succumbed to his injuries the next day at the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

Jailall sustained a severe head injury in the attack, which partially severed his ear.

Grovesnor’s sentencing, handed down by Justice Navindra Singh, began with a base of 12 years.

However, several mitigating factors influenced a reduction in the sentence. His early guilty plea led to a four-year deduction, bringing it down to eight years.

An additional two years were removed due to his remorse and favourable probation report, leaving a final sentence of six years. This term will be further reduced by the time Grovesnor spent on remand, as he had been in custody since March 2019 awaiting trial.

The case was prosecuted by attorneys Muntaz Ali, Madana Rampersaud, and Christopher Belfield. Attorney-at-Law Ronald Bostwick represented Grovesnor.