A 28-year-old miner who admitted to killing a fellow worker during a dispute at a backdam mining camp was recently sentenced to serve two years in prison by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Essequibo.

Sean Lindore, also known as “Samuel,” “Leather,” and “Tallman,” formerly of Three Miles Bartica, Potaro Road, had been indicted for murder but chose to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter.

In handing down the sentence, Justice Singh started at 18 years but made deductions for Lindore’s early guilty plea, his genuine expression of remorse, a favourable probation and prison conduct report, and the deceased being the aggressor.

Lindore’s time spent in pre-trial custody since November 2023 will be credited toward his sentence, making him eligible for immediate release. According to the prosecution’s case, the incident occurred on October 8, 2023, at Sand Hill Backdam, where Lindore and the deceased, 42-year-old Sherman Phillips, also known as “Sunno Sherman,” “Sunno,” and “Sunno Boy,” were both employed as miners on neighbouring dredges.

At the time of his demise, Phillips resided at Red Hill, Karau, Lower Mazaruni.

At around 5:30 p.m. that day, Phillips reportedly confronted Lindore, who was working as a jetman, over how close he was operating to Phillips’ dredge.

Lindore laughed in response, which escalated the situation. Phillips then armed himself with a cutlass, dealt Lindore two chops, and threw the weapon at his chest.

Lindore claimed that Phillips also threw sand in his eyes, after which he retaliated by using the same cutlass to inflict multiple chops on Phillips.

During the assault, Phillips reportedly pleaded for his life, saying, “Don’t kill me,” to which Lindore replied, “Roll out from there.” Phillips then left the scene.

Phillips was later assisted by another miner, Lawrence Basdeo, and his wife, Indra Singh.

They transported him from the backdam to Itaballi Landing and then to the Bartica Regional Hospital. Due to the severity of his injuries, Phillips was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Initially treated as a wounding case, the matter escalated to a homicide after Phillips died on October 25, 2023, 17 days after the attack.

A post-mortem examination conducted by Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh revealed that Phillips died from septic shock due to meningitis and bronchopneumonia, both resulting from multiple infected injuries sustained during the assault.

Police Constable Amitaabh Sukhdeo arrested Lindore at Sand Hill Backdam.

When the allegation of murder was put to him, Lindore responded, “Officer, he [Phillips] first chop me to my hand, finger, then he pelt the cutlass and stick it in my chest, and I take his cutlass and chop him back.” Lindore had visible injuries, including a 12-centimetre laceration on his left arm, and a four-centimetre chest wound.  He was taken to the Bartica Regional Hospital for treatment.