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Killer gets 20 years for manslaughter

Jan 29, 2009 News

Tony Francis Dawattie, 26, formerly of Paradise village, Essequibo Coast, was yesterday sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment, by Justice James Bovell Drakes, after he was convicted for the murder of Derrick Samaroo, called Tourist.
Dawattie killed Samaroo on November 15, 2006.
The indictment was presented by state prosecutor Ganesh Hira, while the accused was represented by defense counsel Compton Richardson.
Following a voir dire sparked by a defence’s objection to a statement by the accused, the court ruled the statement to be freely and voluntarily given by the accused and was admitted to evidence.
In that statement the accused confessed to stabbing the deceased, but claimed that he did it in self- defense.
The accused claimed that he was at home when ‘Tourist’ walked by making noise. “I go out on the road and tell he don’t mek so much noise, because I got a small baby and I just come from sea and I want to rest . I cuss he and he cuss me about me mother, so I box him.
“Tourist pulls a knife at me and pelts a juke a me and I jump away. I had a knife in me waist too I pulled it out and juke he in he back; the knife left in he back. Tourist keep coming to me with his knife and I catch a bus and went at my mother in Dartmouth.
“On my way home the police hold me. I defended myself.”
Raghu Persaud, the main witness, told a different story. He stated that he was walking with the accused when they heard the deceased cussing. Dawattie leave the street and went into a yard, where he asked the defendant to stop making noise.
The deceased cuss the accused and slapped him. He then pulled out a knife and (stabbed) at the accused, who moved away.
Persaud said that Dawattie complained to a man named Tano. Ten minutes later, Samaroo passed by. Persaud said that he went in search of Dawattie who by then had gone to buy bush rum.
By this time Samaroo was already in ‘Speak-Easy’ yard. So too was Dawattie who pushed Samaroo in his back twice. According to the witness, Samaroo was still cussing Dawattie, then he pulled out a knife and (stabbed) the man in his right side and lower back. Samaroo fell to the ground and the accused ran away.
Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh stated that the knife was firmly in the back of the deceased.
Dr. Singh stated that Samaroo died from perforation of the liver and kidney as a result of stab wounds.
After deliberating for two hours, the 12-member jury returned with a not guilty verdict for murder but a guilty verdict for manslaughter.
In issuing down the sentence, Judge Bovell-Drakes said that life has become cheap when a person can forcibly enter a knife into someone’s body causing grave damage to both that person’s lungs and kidney.
Justice Bovell-Drakes added that ‘by killing Samaroo, Dawattie had taken the law into his own hands and as such he has to face the full force of the law.’ Killer gets 20 years for manslaughter

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