THE children of Daniel Singh, who had been grieving for 23 years, finally received justice when their father’s killer was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 30 years.

Deonarine Bhikari, a 56-year-old cane harvester from Enmore, East Coast Demerara, was sentenced by Justice Jo-Ann Barlow of the Demerara High Court on Wednesday.

A 12-member jury had found him guilty of murdering his 49-year-old neighbour, Daniel Singh, on May 21, 2000.

Back in 2000, Bhikari allegedly hacked Singh to death after the latter refused to allow him to continue a relationship with his young daughter.

After the incident, which the dead man’s young children witnessed, Bhikari packed his things and fled the jurisdiction to Venezuela, where he remained in hiding until he returned home to Guyana in 2018.

During the sentencing hearing, a social worker read Bhikari’s probation report, which stated that he maintained his innocence and claimed that the charges were a “conspiracy” against him.

The victim’s children also provided a statement expressing their hurt and pain, although they did not hate the defendant.

One notable aspect of the story is the social worker’s report on the impact of the murder on Singh’s family.

The fact that Singh’s children were forced to “suffer and struggle” due to financial difficulties and were unable to complete their academic studies is a stark reminder of the ripple effects that violent crime can have on a family’s future.

The report also highlighted the importance of providing support and resources to victims’ families in the aftermath of such tragedies.

Special Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford-Holder, read the children’s impact statement in court.

“My siblings and I have learned several lessons from this incident. Firstly, I once believed that once a person seemed to have contacts the victim could not get justice in Guyana. But through this case, with my family pushing for justice and never giving up, my dad’s attacker was finally arrested 18 years later. “And we the children of Daniel Singh have proven that even after 23 years, once there is evidence, you can get justice in Guyana, and we say thank you to everyone who participated in seeing this case true[sic],” the statement read.

In her sentencing remarks, Justice Barlow considered that on the day in question, Bhikari attacked Singh with a cutlass, killing three of the family’s dogs and injuring both Nalini and another dog in the process, suggesting a high level of violence and aggression on his part.

This, she explained, coupled with his attempts to evade authorities by fleeing to Venezuela and going into hiding for over a decade, raises further questions about his culpability in the murder.

The judge also considered that the impact statement provided by Singh’s children also offers a powerful perspective on the lasting effects of the murder on their family.

In her remarks, she pointed out that the statement highlights the kindness and generosity of their father and the significant role he played in their lives.

The judge added that it is clear that the loss of such a beloved family member has had a profound impact on their emotional well-being and has left a hole in their lives that can never be filled.

Justice Barlow stressed that the tragic event highlighted the dangers of unchecked violence and the importance of upholding justice in a community.

“Such conduct must be met with a very strong rebuke from the court. Grown men in any community must assist in maintaining law and order and not behave like brutish beasts,” she said.