A 39-year-old man from Black Bush Polder, Vicky Ramnarine, has been sentenced to six years in prison for attempted murder. The sentencing took place on Friday before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Berbice High Court.
Ramnarine, residing at Lot 33 Yakusari North, initially pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Persatum Dookram, known as ‘Hackey’ or ‘Sato.’ However, he later admitted guilt to a lesser charge of felonious wounding.
A probation report submitted by Officer Dion Douglas revealed that Ramnarine is currently undergoing treatment at the National Psychiatric Hospital. Douglas noted that Ramnarine maintained his innocence regarding the crime and appealed for leniency, but community members described him as a troublemaker.
Justice Kissoon acknowledged an agreement reached between the defense and prosecution concerning the facts of the case. However, he highlighted aggravating factors in the crime, including the use of a weapon during the attack and the involvement of multiple individuals. Notably, both Ramnarine and the victim live in close proximity, and Ramnarine’s brother, who was involved in the incident, was absent during sentencing.
The judge started with a longer sentence but ultimately considered Ramnarine’s guilty plea. He was sentenced to six years and six months, with two years and eight months deducted for the time he has already spent in custody.
Additionally, Ramnarine was placed on a three-year bond to maintain peace upon his release and is prohibited from being within 100 meters of the victim. Justice Kissoon stated that if Ramnarine commits any offenses during this bond period, he could face an additional year of imprisonment, pending the required proceedings to address the violation.
The prosecution was led by Cicela Corbin, while Ramnarine was defended by Chandra Sohan.
