Three plead guilty to manslaughter over Diamond killing

Three murder accused are to be sentenced on March 20 after pleading guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter before Justice Winston Patterson in the High Court yesterday.

Brothers Ragib and Asif Ali and their cousin David Jacobs were charged with the murder of Rameshwar Persaud in February 2006. Persaud, 45 years at the time, was the former stepfather of Ragib and Asif.

Persaud who was a resident of Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara (EBD) died before receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital at about 8pm that night. A police report issued then had stated that Persaud had gone to where his estranged reputed wife lived at Diamond EBD, where he allegedly uttered threats and was fatally beaten.

State Prosecutor Kara Duff-Yehudah informed Justice Patterson yesterday that one of the jurors was sick and would be unable to attend court for approximately three weeks. Hence, sentencing of the men was postponed until late next month.