Man to serve nine more years for murdering Curepe businessman

His exemplary record in prison and his academic pursuits have led to Nicholas Khan receiving a discounted prison sentence.

Khan, 26, has only to serve nine years and eight months of a 30-year prison sentence, a High Court judge ordered yesterday. Khan was before Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas in the Port of Spain High Court, where, on January 27, he pleaded guilty to the murder of Curepe businessman Ricky Rasheed Mohammed on October 17, 2007. Fifty-three-year-old Mohammed was bludgeoned to death at his business place, Rishaad’s Upholstery Shop, at Southern Main Road, Curepe. He was beaten with an industrial stapler and died of injuries to his skull and brain as well as bleeding due to blunt-force trauma to the head. His car, a Toyota Corolla, was stolen.

The judge said according to the facts of the case, it was unclear what took place at Mohammed’s businessplace, but his death left a significant void in the lives of his wife and two children and altered their lives. He said the children had to end their education and his wife struggled to be both father and mother to them while dealing with the loss of her husband. “It cannot not be stated it was a significant violent attack,” the judge said.

Khan was 17 at the time of the attack by him and another man.

In sentencing Khan, the judge said he was entitled to a one-third discount for his guilty plea. He also considered Khan’s studies in prison and his status as a model prisoner, who advises other prisoners, as well as his expression of guilt and remorse, which resulted in a further discount of three years.

The nine years and four months he spent at both the Youth Training Centre and in prison were also discounted, leaving nine years and eight months as the time he has left to serve in jail for killing Mohammed.

For the larceny of the car, the judge sentenced Khan to seven years, which he said he would have served already.