Man to serve 19 years for killing murder suspect

Jan 17, 2020 News

Trevor Anthony Amsterdam was yesterday sentenced to 19 years’ imprisonment for the November 20, 2015 unlawful killing of Jermaine Simon, who police had wanted for questioning in relation to the murder of a teenage boy.
On Monday, at the commencement of the January Demerara Criminal Assizes, 35-year-old Amsterdam appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon. Then, State Prosecutors, Tiffini Lyken, Tuanna Hardy and Nafeeza Baig presented a murder indictment against Amsterdam.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge and his trial thereafter commenced before a 12-member jury. The Prosecution called a several witness to testify as the trial progressed.
However, yesterday, Amsterdam opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter. As a result, the trial was stopped, and the Judge proceeded to impose the custodial sentence.
Amsterdam was initially sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment. His sentence, was however, reduced to 19 years after the judge made deductions for mitigation factors.
It was on November 20, 2015, that Simon was shot to the forehead by another man. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he died while receiving treatment.
It was reported that Amsterdam and Simon had a feud over a woman, and other gang-related issues. Two days after Amsterdam killed Simon, his home went up in flames.
Police had issued a wanted bulletin for Simon in connection with the murder of 19-year-old Ryan Sooklall. The teen called ‘Plyboard’ was gunned down in a Providence, East Bank Demerara shop on March 1, 2015, by members of his own gang.
He was shot in the back and was pronounced dead at the East Bank Demerara Regional Hospital. It was reported that Simon and Sooklall had a falling out that saw Sooklall shooting up his home. The following day, Simon visited Sooklall’s home and killed him.

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