Two jailed for 14 years for burger vendor's murder

NIGEL CHARLES and Marlon Hope were jailed yesterday for 14 years and 11 months for the 2006 murder of burger-cart owner Harry Chatoor, of St John’s Village, near San Fernando.

Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas handed down the sentence in the San Fernando High Court after the guilty verdict delivered by a jury in April in accordance with the murder-felony rule.

The rule of felony murder applies in a trial when the victim is killed by the accused while in pursuit of a lesser crime. The principle is based on a judgment of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council that not every murder warrants imposition of the death penalty.

The State alleged that Chatoor and his family were asleep at their home and Charles, 51, and Hope, 46, robbed them of jewellery, electronics and money.

Charles is from Diego Martin and Independence Avenue, San Fernando, and Hope is from Cocoyea Village.

Chatoor, a pensioner, was shot and died three weeks later at hospital.

State attorneys Hema Soorjansingh and Candace Nanton prosecuted. Attorneys Renuka Rambhajan and Kevin Ratiram represented the men.

In passing sentence, St Clair-Douglas said the robbery was committed for financial gain and fixed 28 years as a starting point.

Charles and Hope have previous convictions, he added, the former with conviction in 2004 for robbery with aggravation, house-breaking and larceny. In 1996, Hope was convicted for guns and ammunition.

Both Charles and Hope spent 13 years and a month in custody. According to law, the judge must deduct the time spent in prison awaiting trial and sentence from the term of imprisonment the court imposes.

St Clair-Douglas ordered them to serve the jail term with hard labour beginning from yesterday.

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