Farmer gets14 years for almost decade-old killing

May 15, 2019 News

A 47-year-old farmer who admitted, yesterday, to stabbing his neighbour to death during a fight has been sent to prison for 14 years’ for the crime.

JAILED: Godfrey Dass

Godfrey Dass, of Port Kaituma, North West District, appeared before Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown where he pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter.
Initially indicted for the capital offence murder, Dass, who was represented by Attorney-at-Law Mark Conway, opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter. He admitted that on June 5, 2009, he unlawfully killed Kenneth Kennedy, his neighbour.
State Prosecutor Teriq Mohamed told the court that the two men were imbibing when a fight broke out between them.
Prosecutor Mohamed told the court that Dass armed himself with a knife and stabbed his neighbour to the head, resulting in his death. Lawyer for Dass, Mark Conway, in a plea in mitigation begged for Justice Singh to extend leniency towards his client.
According to the lawyer, his client has been extremely remorseful for his actions.
Conway further asked the court to take his client’s early guilty plea into consideration when arriving at a sentence. The lawyer told the court that Dass has been making the most of opportunities being offered by the prison. The lawyer pointed out that his client has been attending church. In a statement, the dead man’s wife told the court that her children are still grieving for their father.
In that same statement, one of the man’s daughter said she wants Dass to be locked away for a very long time because she does not want to see him ever again. In addressing the court, Prosecutor Mohamed asked that the sentence reflect the nature and gravity of the offence.
Before Dass was taken away to begin serving his jail time, he was advised by Justice Singh to contribute meaningfully to his community when he is released back into society. He was also advised by the judge to stay away from the deceased’s family whenever he is released from prison.
The Judge also urged him to stay away from alcohol, since he still has time to do good with his life given his age. The prison authority was ordered by the court to deduct the almost 10 years Dass spent on remand pending trial from the sentence.

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