Man pleads guilty to manslaughter, rape, kidnapping, robbery charges

JOHN JUDE ARJOON, 36, is to be sentenced in the San Fernando High Court for kidnapping, manslaughter, rape, robbery and larceny.

Justice Hayden St Clair Douglas will pass the sentence for each offence, but whether the respective terms of imprisonment runs consecutively or concurrently, will be a matter for the judge to decide. Yesterday, the judge invited legal submissions from senior state attorney Trevor Jones and Arjoon’s attorney Ramesh Deena.

Already, Deena has mitigated on behalf of Arjoon who is from Erin village, south Trinidad. Deena told the court Arjoon was given up for adoption when he was just three months old.

Deena said the adoptive mother took him to her daughter’s home in Golconda Village, near Cross Crossing, where he lived for 19 years. Arjoon then left the home for no apparent reason. He found himself in a criminal gang and on May 24, 2005.

Arjoon, pretending to be plying a private car for hire, picked up a woman in San Fernando. He drove to a lonely road where he placed her into the trunk of the car. He robbed her of a bank card for which he demanded the pin number. On April 28, 2005 he picked up another woman in his car in Marabella and drove to a lonely road where he raped her. He robbed her of a cell phone, wallet and $1,000.

Then another charge of manslaughter in which he placed a woman in the trunk of a car at a gravel road off Golconda. She jumped out but was found on the side of the road groaning. She later died at hospital.

In October last year, Arjoon, who was never granted bail, pleaded guilty to all the charges. St Clair Douglas must deduct a third from each of the term of imprisonment for the guilty plea and as well, subtract the 13 years spent in prison from May 2005 when he was arrested. The maximum jail term for manslaughter and rape is life and kidnapping without ransom is 25 years. All life sentences imposed by judges do not exceed 30 years in jail.

Jones and Deena will submit written legal submissions to the judge on the issue after which he will either pass sentence on Arjoon or adjourn to another date.