The Berbice teenager, who killed a taxi driver who reportedly used to taunt his sister, was sentenced to three years imprisonment.
Justice Brassington Reynolds ordered that the teenager, who is now 17-years-old, be held in a juvenile facility until his 20th birthday, which will be January 5, 2022.
The teenager pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and probation was ordered before he was sentenced on Wednesday.
On June 5, 2016 the teenager stabbed taxi driver, Deonarine Laljit, called “Baba”, of Number 72 Village, East Berbice, Corentyne.
The prosecution contended that at about midday, the teenager entered Laljit’s car in the vicinity of the Number 69 Village, Corentyne and was r heading to Baul Street, Corriverton. Reports are that the teen waited until he was alone in the car with the driver, after which he stabbed the Laljit in his neck.
Residents of Line Path, had stated, that they saw Laljit’s car stopped at Baul Street, Line Path ‘E’, Corriverton at about 12:30h. However, they subsequently saw a teen rushing out of the car after which they saw the driver exiting said car with blood gushing from his throat.
According to probation report presented by Probation and Welfare officer Vooneshewarie Gopaul, the taxi driver was in the habit of telling the teenager taunting things about his elder sister. On one occasion the driver reportedly told the teen he was “pretty” and if he was a girl he would have had a relationship with him.
According to the probation report, on the day in question, he was a passenger in the car and as they were at Linepath Laljit and the teen were reportedly involved in a heated argument. After some minutes, the irate teenager reportedly whipped out a knife and stabbed Laljit to his left side neck and face.
At the time he was 15.
