Two men who were last month found guilty of the murder of Rose Hall Town grocer, Lomenzo Johnny in February 2020, were given life sentences last week at the High Court in Berbice.
Satram Kushlay and Bilall McLennon were charged jointly with murder committed on Johnny also known as ‘Sham’, on February 27, 2020.
The men were on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the High Court in Berbice, and the state’s case was presented by Attorney at Law, Muntaz Ali.
After the jury returned with a guilty verdict for both men last month they returned for sentencing before Justice Kissoon on Tuesday where he gave each of them life in prison with the possibility of parole after completing thirty years.
Johnny was discovered on the morning of February 27, 2020, with his feet tied together with black shoe laces, while what appeared to be strangulation marks were observed on his neck. There was also a puncture wound above his left eye and his entire face was covered in blood.
In addition, about four feet away from his body, a red, black and white sweater; a pair of red and black sneakers; a pair of scissors and a piece of wood were also discovered.
A post-mortem examination had given the cause of death as multiple injuries.
It was also noted that Johnny’s premises, where he resided alone and operated his grocery store, was ransacked with no signs of forced entry observed. Police later discovered that a safe from the upper flat of the man’s house had been stolen.
In 2020, the main suspect Daniel McLennon, a labourer of Lot 153 Third Street, Swamp Section, Rose Hall was eventually arrested in Georgetown and was also charged and remanded for Johnny’s murder.
Additionally, Gopaul Ramgobin and Navendra Narine were charged with knowing Kushlay and McLennon had committed the offence of murder and that they did receive, comfort, relieve and maintain, harbour and assist them between February 27, 2020 and March 6, 2020.
Justice Kissoon in summing up the case had noted that the evidence identifies the two accused and three others, adding that the prosecution led evidence which revealed that an amount from the stolen money was discovered in Canje at the house of one of the accused’s sister located in Adelphi, East Canje Berbice.
