Big Smith News Watch Reports : Gautier Fernandes, 53, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on August 26, 2025, for the 2002 murder of his reputed wife, Taijwantie Roshini Sooklall, after evading capture for over two decades.
Justice Zamina Ally-Seepaul, who presided over the case in the High Court, initially imposed a 30-year sentence but reduced it due to mitigating factors, including Fernandes’ lack of prior convictions and his behavior during three years of pre-trial incarceration.
Before the sentencing, Fernandes expressed regret and pleaded for a chance to reunite with his family. However, Justice Ally-Seepaul noted that his comments lacked genuine remorse, as he attempted to blame Sooklall for the tragic incident. The judge emphasized that instead of assisting Sooklall or surrendering to authorities, Fernandes fled and remained at large for 20 years, during which time he fathered three children with another woman while also raising three children with Sooklall.
Highlighting the alarming prevalence of domestic violence in Guyana, Justice Ally-Seepaul stated that the sentence served both as punishment and a deterrent, asserting that Fernandes continues to pose a danger to society.
The murder occurred on January 26, 2002, when Fernandes ambushed Sooklall on a dam in the Little Diamond Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara, slashing her throat. He also attacked a female friend of Sooklall, injuring her hand before she managed to escape.
Following the murder, Fernandes fled to Soesdyke and later to Onderneeming, Essequibo, where he began a new relationship and had three more children. In June 2022, he was on the verge of marrying his new partner when police, acting on a tip-off, arrested him at the church just before the ceremony.
Initially denying involvement in Sooklall’s death, Fernandes later confessed and pleaded guilty on August 6, 2025, leading to his sentencing this week.
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