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Businessman gets six and a half years for killing driver, wounding passenger who turned on bridge
2016 driveway shooting…
Businessman, Robert Benn.
Kaieteur News – A Tucville, Georgetown businessman was yesterday sentenced to six and a half years in prison after he admitted to fatally shooting a driver and wounding a passenger of a motorcar, which turned on his bridge.
On August 23, 2016, Robert Benn had fired at a car on his bridge, killing 24-year-old Colin Perreira, called “Malcolm” of 213 Barr Street, Kitty and injuring 22-year-old passenger, Gailann Chacon of Region One.
Benn reportedly opened fire with his licensed 9 mm handgun when he saw the car – Toyota Allion PRR 4393 – turning on his bridge.
Reports indicated that Perreira was teaching Chacon to drive at the time of the shooting. The businessman, who claimed that he initially thought that bandits were in the vehicle, opened fire, firing at least six shots at the front windscreen.
He was charged for murder and attempted murder as a result. Yesterday however, when he was given a chance to plead, Benn opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter for the death of Perreira and guilty to the attempted murder charge for Chacon. He was thereafter handed a sentence by High Court Justice, Navindra Singh.
Prior to the sentencing, Benn‘s attorney Dexter Todd in a plea of mitigation, asked the Court to take a number of factors into consideration. Todd told the Court that the 42-year- old contractor is deeply remorseful for his actions. Todd explained that Benn led a successful career prior to the incident but faced many threats against his life and business.
“On the night of shooting, Mr. Benn, a licensed firearm holder, did not have any ill-intent towards the victims. He only perceived that the occupants of the car, on his driveway looked suspicious and that they were coming to cause harm to him and his family and so he reacted. He recognizes now that it was a ‘rash,’ decision and the wrong thing to do,” Todd stated as he beseeched the Court for mercy on his client’s behalf.
Killed, Colin Perreira.
Todd said too, that before the unfortunate shooting, Benn was an accomplished businessman, working to further the advancement of his education and career. “And, even after he was incarcerated for the crimes, he continued to pursue educational goals and even advocated for certain educational opportunities to be offered to his fellow inmates,” Todd revealed adding that so much was Benn’s commitment to the reform that he made donations of computers and other equipment to the prisons.
“This was for the prisoners to have access to tools to help better their capacity not just in theory but in practice,” the attorney continued.
The lawyer noted that his client even offered $5M to family of the deceased young man to assist with certain expenses.
“I am saying all of this to give the Court a glimpse of Mr. Benn’s character and I believe if given a chance he will be able to once more make meaningful contribution to society.”
Similarly, when he was given an opportunity to address the Court, Benn, who joined the proceeding from prison via zoom, asked for leniency.
The former accused told the Court that he is deeply sorry for what happened.
“I hope that the family of Mr. Perreira can forgive me… I am truly sorry for my reckless actions and I don’t know how, but I hope something positive can come from this…” Benn said.
Despite the pleas, State Counsel Natasha Backer asked the Court to consider the life of the victim who was shot down due to the recklessness of the businessman. She noted that the Court should send a strong message that such recklessness will not be condoned. Backer subsequently asked the Court to hear the victim’s impact statement offered by the mother of deceased, who was present at the hearing.
In her statement, Perreira’s mother told the court that she did not believe that Benn was remorseful for his actions. She revealed that he tried to offer her aggrieved family, $4M as a form of compensation.
“My son was an excavator operator when he died…He was just 24-years-old; he had a daughter and he was building his home… Mr. Benn cannot compensate me for my child. I am left without a son, my granddaughter without her father, and his siblings without their brother…” the woman said calling on the Court to execute justice.
However, Justice Singh noted that given the circumstances of the case, the Court must consider that Benn had no motive or intention to kill. He most likely acted out of fear and not aggression, the judge explained before imposing the sentence.
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