11 years later… Killer of scrap metal dealer gets 16 year sentence

May 23, 2019 News

Rondell Bacchus, who was charged with the July 2008 murder of scrap metal dealer Akbar Alli, was yesterday sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment

CONFESSED KILLER: Rondell Bacchus

after he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, thereby admitting that he unlawfully killed.
But Bacchus will serve a reduced sentence of about five years. Justice Navindra Singh ordered that the prison authority is to deduct the time he spent in pre-trial custody from the sentence—which is 11 years.
Bacchus admitted that on July 24, 2008, he killed Akbar Alli. Based on reports, on the day of his demise, Alli withdrew about $2.1 million from a city bank and went with his wife to another city bank after which he proceeded to Brickdam to transact business with an auto dealer.

Dead: Akbar Alli

Alli had parked and along with his wife, exited the vehicle. It was then that two men rode up on a motorcycle and snatched the bag containing the money which his wife had. The men then rode away, but Alli gave chase. One of the bandits shot him in the chest.
The injured man was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he eventually succumbed.
Also yesterday, Bacchus was indicted for robbery under-arms and possession of unlawful firearm and ammunition.
He also pleaded guilty to these charges. He confessed that on July 24, 2008, while being armed with a gun, he robbed the Allis of $2.1M. Bacchus further admitted that on August 15, 2008, he had a .38 special colt revolver, along with six .38 special ammunition when he was not the holder of a firearm license enforced at the time.
In respect to the robbery under-arms charge, Justice Singh imposed a sentence of three years. Alli was jailed for one year each on the charges of possession illegal firearm and ammunition. The judge, however, ordered that the sentences run concurrently which means that 16 years’ sentence for manslaughter will take precedence.
Bacchus was represented by Attorneys-at-Law Nigel Hughes, Ashley Henry and Ronald Daniels. During a plea in mitigation, Hughes pleaded with the court to be lenient with his client and to consider the amount of years he had already spent on remand. The lawyer assured the court that his client will be of benefit to society when he is released from prison.
In that same breath, Hughes added, “All of us, irrespective of our deeds are capable of redemption.” According to the lawyer, Bacchus has shown extreme remorse, and wanted the opportunity to apologize to Alli’s widow.
Unfortunately the woman was not present in court. In his address to the court, Bacchus said that he was sorry and told Justice Singh that he did not come to waste time.
“I fed up fight,” he said, perhaps referring to his two previous trials for Alli’s murder which both ended in a hung jury.
State Prosecutor Tuanna Hardy asked that the sentence reflect the serious nature of the offence. According to her, Bacchus’s action resulted in a daughter being left without a father to walk or down the aisle, and a son without someone to give him advice on life.
Before he was escorted to commence his sentence, Justice Singh told Bacchus that he was relatively young and could still make a meaningful contribution to society when he is released from prison.