3 men sentenced for 3 separate murders

THREE men were sentenced yesterday to various terms of imprisonment for three separate murders.

One of them was 16 at the time.

They all pleaded guilty. The first man Justice Althea Alexis Windsor sentenced in the San Fernando High Court was Ansel Edmund, alias "Dall," 44, of Siparia, for stabbing Kelvin Ragbir, 48, to death on November 2, 2002. Edmund pleaded guilty according to the murder-felony rule, which the State accepted.

Together with another man, state attorney Sabrina Dougdeen-Jaglal said, Edmund went to Ragbir's home and when he got out of his car, they accosted him. Ragbir was found bleeding.

Attorney Ramesh Deena, who represented Edmund, submitted that based on instructions, it seemed Edmund wanted to plead guilty from the outset.

Windsor-Alexis said the maximum starting point was 31 years, but gave Edmund a quarter discount for the guilty plea. He spent 16 years one month and ten days in jail awaiting trial, which were deducted. Edmund will serve the remaining six years and five days in jail.

She then sentenced Steven Lopez, 39, of La Romaine, to four years, three months and 14 days, for the 2003 murder of Anthony Raymond Stewart. The starting point was 31 years in jail, but the judge deducted one year, then one third for the guilty plea. Lopez having been in custody for 15 years, eight months and 16 days, the judge ordered he serve the remaining term of four years, three months and 14 days.

Attorney Rekha Ramjit, who represented him, submitted that Lopez had always wanted to plead guilty. He addressed the judge from the dock , saying, "Every day I feel regret. He was my friend. I thank you, and Merry Christmas."

Christon Kellon Adams was 16 in 2010, when he killed Hikmet Ahamad, 61, Dougdeen-Jaglal said. He used to care for Ahamad's dogs at Ralph Narine Trace, South Oropouche. Adams was from Grants Trace, Morne Diablo. On January 10, while doing some chores for Ahamad, they argued and the latter lashed out at Adams about his unsatisfactory work.Adams picked up a piece of iron and struck Ahamad.

Attorney Renuka Rambhajan submitted that Adams had had enough of the deceased hurling abuse at him.

Passing sentence, Windsor-Alexis started with 22 years, gave Adams one-third off for his guilty plea and deducted the eight years spent in jail. She ordered him to serve five years and eight months and that he come up for review every year.