Man Setenced to 12 Years in Manslaughter Case

Sentencing of Man for Manslaughter in Strangulation Case

A 27-year-old man who confessed to strangling a woman and disposing of her body near a mining camp was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Monday by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Essequibo.

Keron Hope, also known as “Blacka,” of Lot 5 Middle Street, Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was indicted for the murder of 26-year-old Mariam Edwards, referred to as “Mary.” He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter and was represented by Defense Attorney Latchmi Dindayal.

The incident occurred between June 8 and 9, 2022, at Kumung Kumung, Puruni River, Region Seven, where both Hope and Edwards were employed in the gold mining industry.

According to the prosecution, led by State Counsel Caressa Henry, police received reports on June 9, 2022, regarding a woman who had gone missing under suspicious circumstances. Upon arrival at Kumung Kumung Backdam, they found Hope tied to a post with visible signs of violence on his body. During questioning, he initially admitted to killing Edwards and led investigators to the location where he had dumped her body near a tailings pond.

In his first statement, Hope reportedly said: “I went to the camp where Mariam was cooking. I was aware that she was alone and I choked her until she blacked out. I then took 21 pennyweights of gold from her and carried her body to a nearby tailings pond.”

The following day, he provided a more detailed account, stating that on the morning of June 8, around 10:00 AM, he had chartered a boat to return to the camp where Edwards stayed. After engaging in sexual intercourse, Edwards informed him that she wanted to end the affair, claiming her boyfriend, Andrcio Chappelle, had discovered their relationship. Enraged, an argument ensued during which Edwards allegedly slapped him. In retaliation, he choked her until she lost consciousness. He then dragged her half-naked body to the river’s edge and left it there before returning to the camp to steal her purse containing 21 pennyweights of gold, which he later sold.

Later that day, shop owner Adrian DeSouza Silva noticed Edwards was missing and contacted Chappelle. The two began searching for her. When they questioned Hope, he claimed he had traveled to the landing. However, witnesses reported that Edwards had last been seen with him. As the search intensified, Hope attempted to flee but was found hiding in nearby bushes and restrained.

Upon police arrival, he confessed and directed them to Edwards’ body. A subsequent post-mortem examination revealed she died from manual strangulation, with compression injuries to the neck and blunt trauma to the head.

During the sentencing hearing, Hope’s attorney requested the court to consider his early plea, cooperation with the police, clean criminal record, age, and remorse. However, State Counsel Henry emphasized the horrific nature of the crime, the pain it caused to Edwards’ loved ones, and Hope’s initial attempt to evade responsibility. She urged the court to impose a sentence that reflected the gravity of the offense and sent a clear message.

Justice Singh began with a baseline sentence of 30 years. He then deducted 10 years for Hope’s guilty plea, five years for positive probation and prison conduct reports, and another five years for remorse. However, he added two years due to the severe emotional damage inflicted on the victim’s family.

Ultimately, Hope was sentenced to serve 12 years in prison, with time already spent on remand to be subtracted from the final term.

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