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Appeal Court reduces 65-year jail sentence to 27 years
Kaieteur News – The Appeal Court has reduced the 65 years jail sentence imposed on Lakeraj Fredericks for the 2011 murder of his brother-in-law, Clifton Bonus. The sentence was commuted to 27 years following a ruling by Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justices of Appeal, Rishi Persaud and Dawn Gregory.
Lakeraj Fredericks.The Appeal Court Judges also ordered that time be deducted from Fredericks sentences based on the time he had spent in prison pending his conviction and sentence.
In addition to the 27 years sentence, Fredericks is also serving a 22-year sentence for the June 11, 2011 killing of Vernon Romaldo. He was handed that sentence after he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter before Justice Sandil Kissoon in the High Court in 2018.
A year prior to this, a 12-member jury convicted Fredericks for the June 4, 2011 murder of Bonus and he was sentenced to 65 years in prison by Justice Navindra Singh.
In his appeal, Fredericks argued that his conviction cannot stand given the evidence adduced during the trial. He contended too that the sentence was excessive and sought to have it set aside or reversed.
During the appeal, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Diana Kaulesar-O’Brien, represented the State, while attorney-at-law, Rachael Bakker represented Fredericks.
The final arguments for the appeal were heard by Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, and Justices of Appeal, Rishi Persaud and Dawn Gregory last October.
According to reports, Bonus’ body was found buried in a shallow grave at Old England backdam, Linden, days after he was reported missing. Bonus, called “Mutts”, was shot twice in the head with a .32 pistol before he was buried almost three feet deep beneath groves of cannabis.
It was reported that Fredericks and the victim had an argument over some missing marijuana seeds, moments before he (Bonus) was shot and killed. Fredericks was subsequently arrested.
At his High Court trial, Fredericks had told the Court that he was sorry for what had happened.
He stated that he had no choice that night and that he had bought rum which he consumed with the deceased. Further, he had admitted that he was not in the right frame of mind.
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