Bryan “Big Foot” Leitch was on Wednesday at the High Court sentenced to 33 years in prison by Justice Sandhill Kissoon for murdering South Central hotelier Joseph Jagdeo.
Leitch’s sentencing was delayed to facilitate the presentation of a probation report.
After two weeks of trial at the High Court, Leitch was on April 17, 2018 found guilty of manslaughter by a unanimous 12-member jury. This decision was announced by the jury foreman who had earlier told the court that the defendant was not guilty of murder.
Leitch was originally indicted for murdering Jagdeo whose body was found bound and gagged at his guesthouse on November 14, 2013 in Room 10. Leitch was said to be the last known person to stay in Room 10.
The prosecution contended that he committed the crime between November 13 and 14, 2013, at South Road, Georgetown after stealing the businessman’s cellphone.
The defendant’s Caution Statement (CS) alleged that Leitch was “sorry” for his actions. On December 1, 2013, retired Police Sergeant Phillip Bowman took the CS which quoted Leitch as saying that on the morning in question, Jagdeo came to his room and told him to leave the hotel which angered him.
“I was vexed and I tell he and I tie he hand and put a cloth around he mouth and tie it, I push he under the bed and put the room key on the bed. I then go to the office and took out he cellphone; I sorry for what happen, I didn’t go to kill he,” the excerpt from the CS had stated.
