Appeal court cuts sentence for murder of taxi driver from 80 to 35 years

Balram Singh

Finding for the third time within the last week, the 60-year base sentence applied by Justice Navindra Singh as being excessive and without jurisprudential basis, the Guyana Court of Appeal has again reduced a sentence imposed by the judge.

This time, the appellate court reduced from 80 to 35 years—the sentence which had been imposed upon Balram Singh—for the 2010 murder of taxi driver Bhomeshwar Sukhdeo, whose burnt remains had been found dumped on the Mocha Access Road.

As consistently highlighted in its criticism of those sentences, the local appellate court emphasized again yesterday that the 60-year base does not conform to any legal principle.