THIRTY-YEAR-OLD Francisco Sampson, also known as “Junior,” formerly of Lot 35, Seventh Avenue, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), was sentenced to 11 years and six months’ imprisonment by Justice Priscilla Chandra-Hanif at the High Court in Essequibo.
The sentence relates to the killing of 38-year-old Eon Anthony Ramnarine, a father of three, at Obanna Backdam, Kurubrong, Potaro, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).
In handing down the sentence, Justice Chandra-Hanif ordered that the time Sampson has already spent in custody be deducted from the overall term.
The judge further directed prison authorities to ensure that Sampson is enrolled in and successfully completes conflict-resolution and rehabilitation programmes, as well as psychological counselling, before the completion of his sentence.
Sampson was initially indicted for the capital offence of murder. However, the state accepted a plea to the lesser count of manslaughter.
The prosecution was conducted by State Counsel Caressa Henry and State Counsel Fenton Budhram, while Sampson was represented by attorney L. N. Dindayal.
In handing down her decision, Justice Chandra-Hanif underscored the seriousness of violent crime and the need for accountability, while balancing the mitigating considerations raised by the defence against the aggravating factors presented by the prosecution.
The defence highlighted the offender’s age, his expression of remorse, his previously good character and his co-operation with the police as mitigating factors.
Conversely, the prosecution stressed the gravity of the offence, the use of excessive violence with a deadly weapon, namely a knife, the enduring impact of the killing on Ramnarine’s family, and the wider prevalence of such violent offences in society.

Ewart Austin, in a victim-impact statement, told the court that his son, Ramnarine, was a great provider to his children.
He said his son was a great person in every sense and that his untimely passing has taken a toll on him both emotionally and physically.
In his statement, the convict said, “I am really sorry for what happened — I didn’t expect it to happen like this. A life has been taken, and I want the family [of Ramnarine] to give me some forgiveness.”
The prosecution’s case detailed the circumstances surrounding the death of Ramnarine, also known as “Anthony,” of Obanna Backdam.
Evidence presented to the court showed that the men were acquainted, as both of them worked and lived in close proximity at neighbouring mining camps in the Potaro area.
On October 4, 2021, around 11:45hrs, police at the Mahdia Police Station received a report of an alleged murder at Obanna Backdam. Acting on the information, police ranks proceeded to the location to carry out investigations.
Upon reaching the area, the officers were taken to the mining camp of Francisco Sampson Snr., the convict’s father, where they encountered both the elder Sampson and the convict.
During the interaction with police, the younger Sampson handed over a black-handled knife and told the officers that it was the weapon he used to stab Ramnarine.
He subsequently led the ranks to a nearby bushy area where the body of Ramnarine was discovered lying motionless on the ground, partially covered with a bed sheet.
The body was positioned on its back, dressed in short, dark-coloured pants, with visible blood stains on the clothing and surrounding ground. A piece of wood bearing what appeared to be blood stains was also found near the body.
A police detective cautioned Sampson at the scene in relation to the allegation that he had murdered Ramnarine by stabbing him several times. In response, Sampson claimed that Ramnarine had struck him with a piece of wood and that he used a knife, which he had for mechanical work, to stab him.
He was informed of his rights, arrested, and escorted from the scene along with the body, the knife and the piece of wood. These items were transported to the Mahdia Police Station.
On the following day, October 5, 2021, Sampson and the body of the deceased were taken to the Mahdia Regional Hospital. There, Sampson was examined and treated, while Ramnarine was pronounced dead.
Later that same day, Sampson was interviewed at the Mahdia Police Station. After being cautioned and informed of his rights, he elected to give a written statement in which he admitted stabbing Ramnarine, claiming that he was acting in self-defence after being struck with a piece of wood.
A post-mortem examination conducted on October 8, 2021, revealed a total of 11 incised wounds on the deceased’s body, including multiple stab wounds to the chest that penetrated the heart and lung. The cause of death was determined to be perforation of the heart and lung due to stab wounds.
Sampson was later committed by Magistrate Sunil Scarce on October 17, 2023, at the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court to stand trial at the High Court for the offence of murder.