A 50-year-old Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) father of three has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for a series of offences, including rape and robbery under arms.
Broan Luke called “Bryan”, of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), who had been indicted for the offences of rape; robbery under arms; common assault; and burglary, appeared before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the High Court in Berbice on Thursday, June 1.
However, after each of the charges was read to him, he opted to plead guilty. These offences were committed on a 64-year-old woman.
At Luke’s sentencing hearing on Wednesday, the victim-survivor begged the court to impose the most severe sentence on Luke because she is fearful for her life and the life of other women.
She went on to share that the incident has driven fear within her.
“…I bear the scars; I live with the stigma. I suffer from flashbacks and nightmares. I no longer sleep in my own room. Since that day, I never slept back in my bed. I keep hearing his voice in my head…” said the woman in a statement that was read by the prosecutor, State Counsel Muntaz Ali.
During an interview with a probation officer, Luke said that he could not recall what transpired on the day in question because he was under the influence of alcohol.
He further said that he only pleaded guilty to the charges because he does not have the finances to retain a lawyer. He, nevertheless, expressed remorse. “I apologise to the woman and to the community for what I have done. I beg you for mercy my worship,” he told the Judge.
Leniency
Meanwhile, in a plea of mitigation, Luke’s attorney, Surihya Sabsook asked the court to show “some degree of leniency” on her client.
In his address to the court, Prosecutor Ali noted that the treatment meted out to the victim was brutal, inhumane, and degrading and shows blatant disregard for a woman and mother figure.
He reminded that the ordeal lasted for about an hour and has left the victim traumatised.
For her part, Justice Morris-Ramlall, in her sentencing remarks, alluded to the prevalence of sexual offences against women in society, among other things.
She stressed that Luke violated his victim in the “most perverse way”, and was ruthless towards her. In the circumstances, he was given the following jail terms: 20 years for rape; 10 years for breaking into the woman’s home; 12 years for armed robbery and six years for assault.
These sentences will run concurrently, meaning that he will only have to serve 20 years.
The convict was also credited for the time he spent in pre-trial custody.
He was initially charged with the four offences on August 21, 2021, and when he appeared at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court, he was remanded to prison.
Following a Paper Committal, Luke was committed to stand trial for the offences after a magistrate ruled that the prosecution had led prima facie evidence against him.
Luke was previously convicted of abduction and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment along with a fine of $500,000 by a magistrate.
At around 18:00h on August 15, 2021, the then 64-year-old woman had secured her home which she shared with her granddaughter before retiring to bed.
However, at around 02:00h, the following morning, Luke broke into her home, went into her bedroom where he held onto her neck, and threatened to kill her if she screamed.
He then placed a knife to the fearful woman’s neck and began cuffing her to her face, head, and neck. He held onto her hair and pulled her off the bed, while demanding gold and money.
At this point, the victim’s granddaughter woke up and started to cry but Luke demanded the woman, who begged him not to hurt the child, to make the child stop crying.
According to the prosecution’s facts, Luke subsequently dragged the woman to the inner stairway where he held a knife to her neck and ordered her to take off her underwear or else, he would stab her. The felon then engaged in vaginal and oral sex with the victim without her consent.
The ordeal lasted for about an hour during which the victim was rendered unconscious.
She was also forced to hand over the $100,000 she had stashed in a safe to Luke.
When the victim regained consciousness, she contacted her son, and a report was later filed with the Police. Police ranks went to her home and transported her to the hospital.
At around 15:45h on August 15, 2021, Luke was arrested at his home by the Police.
When told of the allegations and cautioned, he told the Police his version of the incident, which included confessing to the crimes. He told investigators that he had consumed Vodka with a friend and had smoked a “joint” (marijuana) prior to arriving at the sexagenarian’s home.
