‘Tarzan’ jailed for 19 years over shallow grave murder of Brazilian

Oct 03, 2019 News

Wycliff Smith, the man accused of killing Brazilian miner Armando Da Silva, in Moco Moco, Central Rupununi, was onTuesday sentenced to 19 years’ imprisonment after admitting to the crime through a plea to the lesser count manslaughter.

JAILED: Wycliff Smith

Smith, 40, admitted to killing Da Silva on January 21, 2011. According to reports, Da Silva and Smith were known to each other. On the day in question, they had a confrontation during which Da Silva pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot at Smith.
It was revealed by State Prosecutor Sarah Martin, that Smith ambushed Da Silva and shot at him. Reports indicate that Smith then dug a shallow grave, in which he buried Da Silva.
During her address to the court, Prosecutor Martin said that Da Silva’s cause of death was given as perforation of the lungs. The prosecutor said, too, that several pellets were recovered from the now dead man’s body. It was revealed by the prosecutor that Smith gave a caution statement admitting to the crime.
Smith’s lawyer, Maxwell McKay, in a plea in mitigation told the court that his is a clear case of provocation. He, too, said that his client collected a gun from his friend and ambushed Da Silva and shot him. The lawyer, nevertheless, urged the court that his client pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and has been incarcerated for eight years.
Smith expressed that he was sorry for what happened and he suffers from arthritis.
As it relates to sentencing, Justice Barlow said that the use of firearms has become prevalent “when people get upset with each other.” She said that the court cannot condone such acts and needs to send a strong message; hence she imposed the 19 year custodial sentence.
The judge ordered that the prison authorities are to deduct the time Smith served in pretrial custody. The judge further ordered that he is to undergo anger management classes.
Had Smith been convicted by a jury for the offence, Justice Barlow indicated that the court would have imposed a 25-year sentence instead.

at Moco Moco Mountain Foot, Central Rupununi, he murdered Armando Da Silva.