Two men who were charged for the 2007 murder of Jerome Meetoo were each sentenced yesterday to two years hard labour.
Madhoo Roodal, 62, and David Francis, 45, appeared before Justice Gillian Lucky in the San Fernando High Court yesterday for sentencing. None of Meetoo’s relatives were present in court.
The men, both of Moruga, were committed in 2009 by Princes Town First Court Magistrate Indrani Cedeno to stand trial for Meetoo’s murder, but the charge was later reduced to manslaughter. They pleaded guilty to that charge.
It is alleged Roodal, a farmer, and Francis, a labourer, beat Meetoo, 29, and left him in a canefield off Douglas Road, St Mary’s, on April 4, 2007. Meetoo later died. The two men were charged by Sgt Wazir Ali of Homicide Bureau for the murder.
Attorney Larry Williams represented Roodal and attorney Rekha Ramjit represented Francis.
In handing down the sentence, Lucky said some of the aggravating factors in the case were the premeditation of the act, the beating that Meetoo sustained and the fact that Meetoo was chopped on his head, neck, and the upper and lower parts of his body.
The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.
However, Lucky said, the mitigating factors in the case were that both men were remorseful and they had both admitted their roles in Meetoo’s death.
Lucky said the State had recommended the men be sentenced to 12-15 years after deductions and the defence had recommended the men be sentenced to 15-20 years before deductions.
She said the appropriate starting point was 17 years.
She gave both men one-third discount for their guilty plea, and subtracted eight years and three months for the time the pair had spent in custody awaiting trial. They got further reductions after the judge referred to bio-social reports on both men.
Regarding Roodal, Lucky said he had no previous matters and had received numerous endorsements from people who knew him.
She advised Roodal to avail himself of anger management, drug awareness and life skills programmes that were available to him.
When Lucky read his sentence, Roodal gave a thumbs-up to his relatives in court.
He thanked the court for giving him that sentence and said he was sorry for Meetoo’s death, which happened under the influence of alcohol. He said he had raised three children and had eight grandchildren.
In Francis’ case, Lucky also reduced his sentence on the basis of his bio-social report.
He too will serve two years hard labour.
She advised Francis to seek counselling and enter a drug awareness programme. Lucky also told him he should try to further his education.
Addressing both men, Lucky told them to never let a day go by without remorse for Meetoo’s death.
Through Ramjit, Francis asked to address the court. He said even though none of Meetoo’s relatives were present, he hoped the family could find it in their hearts to forgive him. Though he knew ‘sorry’ could not bring Meetoo back, he said, he remained very remorseful.