Miner gets 8 years for drinking buddy’s chopping death

Aug 19, 2018 News

A 28-year-old miner was last Tuesday sentenced to serve eight years imprisonment after he was found guilty of manslaughter.
Gregory France, also known as Balbo, was sentenced by Judge Bovell-Drakes at the Suddie High Court. The victim, 36-year-old Sheldon Rodrigues, was killed on the 2nd of November 2015 at Arimu Falls, Cuyuni River, Essequibo.
On the day in question the two men were drinking high wine, rum and vodka, along with another friend, who was later identified as 29-year old Levei Thomas of Maicobie Village, Potaro River. The drinking later resulted in an argument and fight, when Rodrigues who France said was armed with a cutlass, was chopped about his body by Thomas.
The court heard that France participated in the killing of his drinking buddy, since he sat on the now dead man, and told Thomas to chop him. France was also accidentally chopped on his elbow by Thomas during the ordeal.
In sworn testimony, France said that it was Rodrigues who had chopped him, and that the police had erred when writing his statement. The post mortem revealed that Rodrigues died of multiple incised wounds.
Thomas was found guilty of manslaughter in March, last, and sentenced to 25 years.
Evidence was laid against France by a witness who was identified as Delroy Brown. According to Brown, on the 2nd November 2015, at about 02:20 hrs, he heard a knocking on his door. Brown said that when he opened the door and looked outside, the persons who were there had moved away. He testified that when he ventured out of the house, he saw Sheldon Rodrigues’ body with multiple lacerations which appeared to be chop wounds.. The man added, “I walked like about two miles and then I saw Balbo, lying in grass with blood all over and with a cutlass in his hand.”
When given the opportunity to cross question the witness, France did not do so. Judge Bovell-Drakes said that since the accused did not question the witness’ account of what he had seen, then the evidence has to be factual. The judge said that in those circumstances, his views were that France was armed with a cutlass and inflicted wounds on Rodrigues. With that the accused was ordered by Justice Bovell-Drakes to “remain in the control of the prison service for eight years”.

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