Mohan Basdeo, the cane cutter accused of fatally stabbing his common-law wife in 2008, will be spending the next 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to a manslaughter charge.
The original indictment against Basdeo stated that on October 13, 2008, at Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara, he murdered Nafeeza Khan. He denied the murder charge but opted to plead to the lesser count of manslaughter at the High Court in Georgetown, where he was sentenced yesterday.
Khan was said to have suffered stab wounds to her back as she attempted to flee Basdeo.
State Prosecutor Siand Dhurjon asked the judge to consider that the killing had stemmed from an act of domestic violence and therefore he urged the court to take a strong posture against such acts.
Justice JoAnn Barlow started the sentence at 25 years but deducted a total of 12 years for Basdeo having entered a guilty plea and the time he would have spent on remand.
Witnesses said that on the morning of the attack, Basdeo and Khan were seen arguing in their yard at Goed Fortuin Squatting Area before the man, who was said to be intoxicated at the time, started physically abusing her.
Several hours later, Basdeo was seen brandishing a knife and threatening to kill Khan before he attacked her and started firing the knife at her as she backed the door way of their house.
The woman was subsequently discovered dead, laying on the ground in a pool of blood. Basdeo was later arrested and taken to the police station.
The state was represented by Dhurjon in association with Shawnette Austin, while Basdeo was represented by attorney Maxwell McKay.
