Two of the men charged with killing Constance Fraser, 89 and Phyllis Caesar, 77, in 2017 were yesterday handed life sentences each with the possibility of parole after serving 35 years.
The initial charge against Imran Khan called Christopher Khan and Stephen Andrews stated that between October 2nd and October 3rd 2017, at Lot 243 South Road and Albert Street, they murdered Fraser and Caesar.
Khan and Andrews were jointly charged with Phillip Suffrien who has not been given a trial date as yet.
The two accused appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the High Court in Georgetown, just over three weeks ago and pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.
During yesterday’s sentencing hearing before the judge, victim impact statements were presented in the court from family members of the victims.
Fraser’s daughter, Margaret Gittens, in her statement told the court that the death of her mother severely impacted the family. Gittens further stated that it took such a toll on the family that it resulted in the death of her sister, who was grieving the loss of her mother.
Fraser’s daughter told the court that she felt that the accused men took the easy route by pleading guilty to manslaughter instead of going to trial and possibly facing a harsher sentence for their actions. She added that following the post-mortem examination, she was told that her mother was quite healthy and could have lived a long life if she had not been killed.
Joan Caesar, the sister of 77-year-old Phyllis Caesar, in her statement told the court that the family is still grieving the loss of a “bright light” that was taken away from their family.
The state’s case, which was presented by Prosecutor Abigail Gibbs, contended that the two accused had broken and entered the South Road home shared by the elderly women, tied them up, strangled and gagged them and subsequently searched the home for cash and other valuables.
During a plea in mitigation, attorney for both accused, Keoma Griffith, told the court that neither of his clients had fathers or father figures in their lives and lacked the proper education to teach them right from wrong. Griffith further told the court that both men were experiencing financial hardships and had turned to crime. The attorney then added that Andrews and Khan regret taking that path and harming the two women as it was never their intention. He then noted that peer pressure also played a part in the crime.
Andrews, when asked if he had anything to say, told the court that he constantly has memories of the day in question and is unable to sleep. Khan, when he stood in the prisoner’s dock to speak, asked relatives of the deceased women who were present for forgiveness and told them that if he could have gone back in time he would have done things differently.
Before sentencing, the prosecutor, asked the court to consider the fact that both of the accused had previous brushes with the law. Khan had served 18 months in prison for a larceny charge and Andrews had served three years in prison for larceny as well.
Gibbs told the court that the men were experienced in breaking into homes and also admitted in their caution statements to burgling the elderly women’s home before and leaving with valuables.
Justice Kissoon during sentencing considered the fact that both the accused had previous brushes with the law and the manner in which the two women were killed. The judge then sentenced the two men to life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving 35 years behind bars.
The bodies of Fraser and Caesar were discovered by members of their church after attempts made to contact them proved futile. They were found bound and gagged in separate bedrooms. Post-mortem examinations which were conducted revealed that the women both died as a result of asphyxiation due to suffocation and manual strangulation along with trauma to the head.
