Convicted two weeks ago for the 2015 murder of Corentyne moneychanger Mohamed Fizal Mahmood Baksh, 22-year-old Philemon Boodhoo is appealing the conviction and life sentence imposed against him.
Found guilty of the capital offence on December 10th at the High Court in Berbice, Boodhoo’s sentencing had been deferred to yesterday for a probation report.
Following the presentation of that report, trial judge Priya Sewnarine-Beharry sentenced Boodhoo to life imprisonment, ordering that he becomes eligible for parole only after he would have completed 50 years behind bars.
In his notice of appeal filed after conviction, the young man, through his attorney Murseline Bacchus, is arguing among other things, that Justice Sewnarine-Beharry permitted inadmissible evidence which he said was prejudicial and ultimately unfair in his trial.
Boodhoo, (the appellant) is contending also, that the judge applied “no, or the wrong” principles of law in admitting what he indicated as the purported confession in evidence.
Boodhoo is arguing that Justice Sewnarine-Beharry erred in law when she ruled that his alleged verbal admission was admissible in evidence, even though the Magistrate who conducted his preliminary inquiry (PI) found that the admission was not freely and voluntarily given.
In addition, the appellant is saying that the judge did not “properly or fairly” put his defence to the jury.
A hearing date for Boodhoo’s appeal has not yet been set by the Guyana Court of Appeal.
Boodhoo, also known as, `Kevin’, of No. 63 Village Corentyne, Berbice, murdered 56-year-old Baksh, called ‘Sugar Cake’ of Lot 5 Grant 1780 Crabwood Creek in December, 2015.
According to the state’s case, Boodhoo had made arrangements with Baksh about a financial transaction to be done with other persons on the day in question. He then took the moneychanger to the No. 63 Beach where he used a piece of wood to rob and kill him.
Baksh was reported missing on 21st December, 2015. Three days later his body was found on the foreshore at Number 63 Village, Corentyne. An autopsy gave the cause of death as haemorrhage and shock due to a fractured skull.
Boodhoo, who had initially fled to Trinidad and Tobago, had returned to Guyana after he said relatives informed him that investigators were on the hunt for him. He was arrested at his lawyer’s office after returning to Guyana.
