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Agricola resident Balram Singh has been jailed for 80 years for the murder of taxi driver Bhomeshwar Sukdeo.80 years in jail: Balram SinghHe was sentenced yesterday, after more than four hours of deliberation, by a mixed jury, who returned a unanimous guilty verdict for murder.The sentence was imposed by Justice Navindra Singh at the Georgetown High Court.In his ruling,Ricky Nolasco Jersey, the Judge noted that Balram Singh had committed a heinous act. The sentence started with a base of 60 years, with 10 years added for the commission of another felony (robbery) at the time of the murder; 10 years for premeditation, and six years for the nature of the crime. The six years were however deducted for the time the accused spent in prison pending his trial.In summing up the trial, the Judge had directed the Jury to use their experience, common sense and intelligence while reviewing the evidence.Subsequent to the verdict, Balram Singh was given a chance to respond. He appeared to be in disbelief at the Jury’s announcement. He told the court that he was innocent of the crime.“With all due respect…Me ain’t murder nobody,” he said.In a plea of mitigation,Matt Belisle Jersey, Attorney Jermaine Jervis noted that his client had no previous brushes with the law or pending matters before the court. He asked for leniency and begged for consideration, citing the loss his client’s children and family had suffered as a result of his incarceration.However, State Prosecutor Narissa Leander asked the court to consider too,Matt Wieters Jersey, that the victim’s family and children suffered tremendously as a result of his death. She asked the court to take all circumstances of the case into consideration, when handing down a judgment.Murdered: Bhomeshar SukdeoBhomeshwar Sukdeo,Neftali Feliz Jersey, a taxi driver,Matt Duffy Jersey, was kidnapped and robbed of his vehicle before he was murdered. The incident occurred between January 19 and January 27,Jason Castro Jersey, 2010. The victim’s charred remains were identified on the Mocha Arcadia access road, days after he had gone missing. He was allegedly shot in the head and his body burnt.In response to the charge, Balram Singh had insisted that he had nothing to do with the murder.“Me ain’t kill nobody sir,” Singh said on Tuesday. “I have no reason to kill nobody sir, to get money…I had two cars working. My wife was working.”The man had alleged that from the time of his arrest, he was beaten by the police. He also claimed that he was coerced into signing the caution statement. He said that a police officer told him he would get to go home, if he affixed his signature.Singh said that he eventually signed the statement because he wanted to go home. He told the court that he did not know the contents of the statement, since he does not know how to read or write properly. The accused went on to say that he “did not go far in school”, but worked hard to acquire certain things in life.Additionally, the man denied selling the victim’s car to the owner of a taxi service in Grove. On Monday, Prosecution witness Travis David testified that in 2010,Omar Infante Jersey, he was living at Agricola,Philadelphia Phillies Michael Saunders Jersey, East Bank Demerara, and was working with a taxi service, owned by Bharrat Narine. He recalled that one day he met with Balram Singh, who inquired from him whether his “boss man” buys vehicles.He said that Singh told him that he had a car to sell, but that it was in Berbice,St. Louis Cardinals Dexter Fowler Jersey, and he (David) introduced him to his employer. David told the court that the accused eventually sold a car to his boss (Narine) for $600,000. Narine was initially charged jointly for the murder, but he was discharged in the Magistrates’ Court.During the trial, the victim’s father-in-law, Bhoop Singh, testified that he found a car bearing the engine number of the missing car at a bodywork shop in Herstelling, East Bank Demerara— the car had been taken there for repairs after it was sold by Balram Singh.The witness had also testified that he searched several areas for his son-in-law and the missing vehicle. He even printed and distributed flyers in an attempt to find the missing man. According to the witness, police discovered that there were attempts to cover up the engine number on the car found at the workshop. |
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