Court issues order to prison officials

Justice Althea Alexis-Windor.
Justice Althea Alexis-Windor.

SUBPOENAS have been issued for two officials at the Women’s Prison in Arouca so that they can provide the court with additional information before a judge can sentence the woman who admitted to paying two men to kill her friend in 2005 so that she could take her baby.

Justice Althea Alexis-Windsor said she needed more information on the programmes available at the prison for Kerry Ann Hosang, who, in July, pleaded guilty to felony murder. Defence attorney Keith Scotland, in responding to questions from the judge on his plea in mitigation, said his client did not intend for her friend to die, and took no part in the actual killing.

He also said she co-operated with police and asked the judge to consider that Hosang was a woman with a certain history, having suffered a traumatic experience in her youth. He also submitted the fact she was a stripper before the incident should not be viewed as reprehensible conduct.

“Stripping is not an offence. She didn’t say she was a prostitute,” Scotland said, adding that she was also entitled to a one-third discount for her guilty plea as well as the 14 years’ she has already served while awaiting trial. Prosecutor Maria Lyons-Edwards agreed Hosang should receive the discount for her guilty plea as she made several previous attempts to do so before the State accepted it.

She also said she wanted to suggest a long sentence, perhaps a life term, after reading the bio-social report which pointed to further intervention being needed before Hosang is released from prison. The report put Hosang’s chances of re offending at 45 per cent and said she was bi-polar. Two psychiatric reports prepared in 2009 and 2014 said she suffered paranoia and schizophrenia.

Lyons-Edwards also said Hosang has showed no remorse. In July, Hosang pleaded guilty to her role in the death of Reena Kissoon between August 30 and September 4, 2005. Kissoon died of a chop wound to the neck which went through the trachea and spine.

Hosang told police she wanted Kissoon’s baby, so she paid the boyfriend of a friend and another man to “lick up Reena” so she could take the baby. She said Kissoon owed her money and they had a disagreement over the repayment of the money.

Hosang was present when Kissoon was chopped, but said she tried to stop the man she paid to threaten Kissoon, but was beaten on the face, and instead, she left the two men in the house with Kissoon and took the baby. She also left $800 on a chair for the man.

Hosang also admitted to making everyone believe Kissoon’s baby was hers.

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