A Berbice jury on Monday found 32-year-old construction worker Andrew Seegobin guilty of murdering his friend, Ramanand Mingo, in a November 19, 2023 stabbing at a Superbet shop in John’s, Port Mourant.
Seegobin, of John’s, Port Mourant, faced the charge at the Berbice High Court before Justice Deborah Kumar‑Chetty. He pleaded not guilty when the charge was read. The trial heard evidence over several days, with State Prosecutor Marisa Edwards calling 15 witnesses, including seven police officers and a government pathologist.
Shop owner Parbatee Ramsammy told the court she had just returned from the hospital with her son and grandson when an argument broke out between Seegobin, the deceased and the deceased’s brother. Parbatee said she attempted to eject the men from the premises but was pushed to the ground. Her son, Chandrapaul Ramsammy, testified that he fetched a cutlass from the house to intervene, but said he did not see the stabbing itself. The shop’s security cameras were not functioning at the time, witnesses said.
Government Pathologist Dr. Vivekanand Bridgemohan gave medical evidence that Mingo died from shock and haemorrhage caused by a stab wound to the chest and said it was highly unlikely the injury was accidental. Under cross‑examination he reiterated that the wound appeared deliberately inflicted with a sharp cutting instrument.
In an unsworn statement to the court, Seegobin said Mingo had approached him with a knife, that he seized Mingo’s hands and that the knife subsequently injured Mingo’s left chest; Seegobin also claimed he sustained an injury. Defence counsel Surihya Sabsook urged the jury to accept that her client acted in self‑defence. The prosecution rejected that claim, arguing the nature of the injuries showed an intent to kill.
After more than two hours of deliberation, the jury returned a guilty verdict. Seegobin, who attended the hearing with a Bible in hand, was remanded to prison pending sentencing. Justice Kumar‑Chetty set sentencing for April 17 and ordered preparation of the necessary documents ahead of that hearing.
