Ex-policeman Prince Reid has been handed a life sentence with the possibility of parole, only after serving 23 years, for the killing of two men into whom he had driven his minibus during a gaming fracas at Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Demerara, back in 2017.
Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall, who imposed the sentence, said that though the offender claimed his actions were not wilful, the evidence clearly told a different story—that it was not an accident—given the verdict of the jury.
In early February, a jury found Reid, 61, guilty of murdering cricketer Amit Jairam called ‘Rocky’ and Randy Richard Melville. His sentencing had been deferred for the presentation of probation and other social impact reports.
The ex-cop was reported to have struck down three people and stabbed another during an event at the Tarla Dam tarmac, Meten-Meer-Zorg, on December 16th, 2017. It had been reported that following a disagreement stemming from a game of “Chic chic,” he retrieved a cutlass from his bus and dealt then 20-year-old Premnauth Basdeo a chop to the head. He then got into his vehicle and drove it into Jairam, Melville and Mohamed Ahamad.
Jairam, 36, died the morning after the incident, while Melville died sometime later.
Justice Morris-Ramlall recalled from the evidence presented at trial, Reid threatening to shoot or knock down his victims as he walked towards his vehicle from which he had also retrieved and armed himself with the cutlass.
That utterance the judge said, as well as the dangerous manner in which the bus was driven into the crowd suggested that Reid’s actions were all wilful. She pointed out that he had driven into the crowd not once, but twice.
The nature and extent of injuries sustained by the deceased as revealed by the autopsy the judge further went on to note, spoke of the force of the impact.
“That is the manner in which the offender saw fit to react to a disagreement over gambling at a Chic chic board,” the judge said.
In imposing the life sentence, the judge said she had also taken into consideration that at the time of the offender’s menacing behaviour, the dispute had already fizzled, the victims had removed from where it all started, had gone into the crowd and did nothing to provoke the offender.
Justice Morris-Ramlall said that after considering all of the aggravating circumstances of the case, she was of the view that Reid “ought not to return to society unless he has demonstrated by way of rehabilitation, that he is deserving of reintegration.” Against this background, she said she found the imposition of life sentences to be appropriate, with the minimum of at least 23 years being served before the offender is considered eligible for parole.
The judge said that apart from the aggravating circumstances, she also considered that the offender was currently enlisted in the prison’s anger-management programme and that though he continued to maintain that his actions were not wilful, expressed that he was sorry for the loss of life.
In the circumstances, Reid was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 23 years, less time served on remand.
Background
Police had said that Reid, after the misunderstanding, went to his minibus, BTT 5707, retrieved a cutlass, then returned to the scene, where he chopped Basdeo to the head.
Next, he got into his vehicle and drove into the crowd attending to the injured man, and in so doing, struck down Jairam. Subsequently, Reid was said to have struck down Melville, 22, a father of one, and Ahamad, 43.
Reid’s trial was heard at the High Court in Demerara.
