Accused in barbecue killing found guilty of manslaughter, gets 11 years
Rawle Bernard, who is accused of murdering a man at a barbecue on the West Coast of Berbice in 2017, was yesterday found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, for which he was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Bernard, also known as Charles Telford and ‘Red Man,’ of Onderneeming, West Bank Demerara, was on trial before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the High Court in Berbice for the murder of Sylvan Lennox Stoll, also known as ‘Bow Foot,’ of Plot ‘B’ Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, between August 13th and August 14th, 2017.
Stoll was fatally stabbed at the Number 42 Village Community Centre Ground.
State counsel Tuanna Hardy had told the jury that the murder occurred after a group of persons travelled to Berbice to ‘sport’. Bernard, she said, was
“misbehaving” when the fatal encounter occurred.
However, yesterday after the jury returned with a unanimous verdict of guilty to manslaughter, Justice Ramlall sentenced the accused, who was represented by attorney Chandra Sohan, to 11 years imprisonment.
The accused was extremely vocal throughout his trial.
A Police Sergeant has been placed under close arrest after he allegedly shot his partner in the neck during an argument at her Onderneeming West Coast Berbice home on Thursday night
Injured is Shonetta James, a Special Constable.
She was struck to her neck during the shooting, which took place around 8.30pm.
The accused, who has been identified as Police Sergeant Colin Whyte, the subordinate officer-in-charge of the Blairmont Police Station, was taken into police custody.
He has since denied the allegation and was placed under close arrest as the probe continues.
Stabroek News understands that the couple has been in a relationship for the past four years. They have two children together.
According to the police, investigations revealed that Whyte went to James’ home on Thursday night and she informed him that the relationship was over due to their continuous misunderstandings.
This resulted in an argument during which Whyte allegedly whipped out a handgun and discharged a round in James direction, the police added.
Whyte dropped off James at the Fort Wellington Hospital.
She was subsequently transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where she underwent surgery and is admitted as a patient. Her condition is listed as stable.
It is unclear whether the weapon used to inflict the wound belongs to the Guyana Police Force (GPF).