Manslaughter accused to be sentenced on Monday

Jun 14, 2012 News

Colin Bentick, the man who is on trial for manslaughter committed at Seafield West Coast Berbice will be sentenced on Monday. This decision was taken yesterday by Justice James Bovell Drakes at the Berbice High Court.
Attorney at Law Perry Gosai who was standing in for Attorney Mursaline Bacchus, made a plea of mitigation, yesterday.
Bentick, 39, of No 42 (Seafield) Village, West Coast Berbice killed Elton Shepherd, a clothes vendor, at Seafield, West Coast Berbice, on October 31, 2007. He had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.
Prosecutor Attorney at law, Rondell Weaver, had stated that on the day in question Shepherd and a group of persons were sitting underneath an old house playing dominoes at Seafield, West Coast Berbice, he stated that some time between noon and 13:00 hrs they were approached by Bentick who went up to Shepherd and stated that “Shepherd is a dead man”.
He then asked Shepherd if he knew anything about his “Data” (his girl), to which Shepherd responded in the negative. Bentick then left and returned with a cutlass and proceeded to chop Shepherd across his right hand, the other persons ran away. Shepherd allegedly ran for his life but fell in the process and was again attacked by the accused.
Police officers who were passing were informed by residents of what was taking place. The police proceeded to the area and saw Bentick chopping at a person lying in the street.
He was instructed to stop, but continued and advanced to the cops with his cutlass. The police then left to get assistance as the man then proceeded to cut off Shepherd’s head and held it up in his left hand. As police reinforcement came Bentick was arrested and taken into custody, where he was subsequently charged.
The man had also given a caution statement in which he had stated that he was under a house with some individuals when he heard that “Fine man was a batty man”. “I made a slip and went for his cutlass. Fine man try to run, but I chop him” The man was chopped on his left hand, shoulder, head and two feet. “Fine man fall down and a chop him on his neck. I chop off his neck. I man had to do de Sacrifice.”
A Post Mortem examination performed on the body gave the cause of death as shock and hemorrhage, severance of neck and multiple cuts. A Preliminary Inquiry was conducted by then Magistrate Tejnarine Ramroop and a prima facie case was made out.
A probation report which was presented by Probation Officer Kenneth Nunes, stated that the accused lived with his mother in a single parent household and also lived for a considerable time with his grandparents. He is the father of two.
He was not privy to much formal education and earned a living by operating a small grocery and ground provision business. The report went on to state that the accused was a regular user of Cannabis Sativa. It further stated that during 2003 the accused was incarcerated at the Georgetown Hospital for abnormal behaviour.
The report also mentioned that persons in the community complained of the erratic and threatening behaviour of the accused. It also went on to state that numerous reports were made to the police stations in the neighbourhood by persons who complained of the aggressive and threatening behaviour of the accused.
The report also mentioned that the accused had showed instability for a long time before the commission of the crime.
The defence lawyer urged the court to commit his client to the National Psychiatric Hospital where he could be properly treated and rehabilitated.
Justice Bovell Drakes before adjourning the matter stated his disappointment in the defence who he had expected would have brought some of Bentick’s relatives to court so that the court could have been a little more informed.

Latest News

Manslaughter accused to be sentenced on Monday

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

NSC, Office of the DPP to host Criminal Law and Sexual Offences Act...

Lucas Chung maintains strong standing at 2nd...

Farm Supplies Ltd. supports Bartica Regatta 2025

Legislation and Investment: Trinidad to Brazil,...

Three more matches billed for this weekend

CM Khan rules at 2025 National Blitz Chess...

Features/Columnists

“One Guyana” is no less a national slogan than “Green Guyana”

If Guyana’s President Ali is the “Zelensky of the Caribbean”, who is the Putin?

Partner v. investor

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Manslaughter accused to be sentenced on Monday

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]