UHALISI Moore, called “Akali” or “Ukali,” was on Wednesday, last, sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment on each of two counts of murder, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently.
The sentence was imposed by Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Demerara after Moore had pleaded guilty to killing his sister, Cheryl Moore, and his niece, Eukeila Adams, in a 2023 house fire at Silvertown, Wismar, Linden.
Uhalisi, 39, had been indicted on two counts of murder contrary to Section 100 (1)(c)(iii) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01.
The indictment alleged that on August 14, 2023, he murdered Cheryl Moore, 53, and, in a separate count, murdered 12-year-old Eukeila Adams, both “in the course or furtherance of arson in relation to a dwelling house.” He accepted the State’s case on October 27, 2025. The matter was prosecuted by attorneys-at-law Christopher Belfield, Simran Gajraj, and Geneva Wills.
According to the facts, Uhalisi lived with his relatives, including the two victims, at Lot 112 Silvertown Second Street. On the night of the incident, family members were awakened by a noise and the smell of kerosene. They investigated but did not initially treat the situation as serious. Moments after returning to their rooms, they felt intense heat and saw smoke inside the home, prompting efforts to escape.

Family members jumped from the verandah to safety but soon realised that Cheryl Moore and Eukeila Adams were still inside the burning building. Phillip Moore attempted to re-enter the house to assist but was unable to do so. Firefighters arrived around 00:30 hours and extinguished the blaze, but the house had already been destroyed. Cheryl’s body was discovered around 1:00 hours, and Eukeila’s body was located approximately four hours later.
Uhalisi was interviewed on August 15, 2023, at the Wismar Police Station in a video-recorded session. He confessed to setting the fire and stated that he had been hungry for two days and had been speaking to his siblings, whom he claimed ignored him. He told officers he moved out of the house, then doused the home with gasoline or kerosene before setting it alight. Family members told investigators that Uhalisi had previously said he would burn the house down.
Post-mortem examinations conducted on August 16, 2023, by Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh revealed severe burn injuries. Cheryl Moore was found with the top of her head and brain missing, completely burnt eyes, carbonised organs, and soot in the bronchial passages, indicating she was alive when the fire began. Similar findings were reported for Eukeila Adams, whose lungs and organs were carbonised, and whose legs and feet were missing. Soot in her bronchial passages also confirmed she was alive when the fire started.
In aggravation, the State submitted that Uhalisi made a deliberate attempt to endanger the lives of all his family members at their most vulnerable point—while they were asleep—and that his actions resulted in the deaths of two persons and the loss of the family’s home, property, and long-accumulated belongings. The prosecution further noted that the family remains displaced and has not been able to rebuild their lives.

The State also highlighted that Uhalisi removed his belongings from the home before setting it on fire, describing the act as calculated. Prosecutors argued that the weaponisation of fire amounted to creating instant danger for all occupants and warranted a deterrent sentence, given the traumatic impact on surviving family members and the need to discourage similar offences.
A prison conduct report presented to the court stated that Moore was admitted to the Lusignan Prison on August 18, 2023.
According to the probation report, Cheryl reportedly had a mental disorder and did not have any children. Family members described her as a loving and caring person who shared a close bond with her niece, Eukeila. Eukeila, who had just celebrated her 12th birthday, was described as brilliant, ambitious, and loving, with a passion for reading and dancing in church.
Eukeila’s father said he deeply mourns her loss but has forgiven his brother, Uhalisi Moore, acknowledging his mental instability.
The probation report detailed Uhalisi Moore’s attitude toward the offence, noting that he had expressed deep remorse for his actions and wished daily that he could return to the moment of the tragedy to undo the deaths. He had expressed the desire to apologise to his family, particularly his siblings. The report indicated that Uhalisi, a father of two, had been socialised in a nuclear family with Christian values, maintained stable employment, and had good relationships within his community. It further recorded that, despite his documented medical and psychological challenges affecting his stability, family members and the community consistently described him as a person of good character. The report also noted that Uhalisi had been inconsistent with his medication and had engaged in substance use, which may have contributed to the actions leading to the deaths of his sister and niece.

Chief Justice Singh began with a starting point of 35 years for each count of murder, taking into account the gravity of the offences and the aggravating circumstances.
A one-third reduction was applied for Uhalisi’s early guilty plea, which amounted to approximately 11 years and eight months, bringing the sentence down to around 23 years and four months. The judge then allowed a further three years and four months deduction in recognition of Uhalisi’s expressed remorse. However, an additional four years were added to reflect the profound and lasting impact of the crimes on the surviving family members.
After these adjustments, the final sentence imposed on the convict was 24 years per count, to run concurrently.