La Romaine woman, co-worker sentenced for killing her husband

A La Romaine woman who enlisted a co-worker to kill her abusive husband in 2008 has been sentenced to time served by a High Court judge.

Rasha Sobrian and Rown Campbell were originally charged with the murder of Lester Sobrian, who was killed on March 15, 2008. However, both pleaded guilty to manslaughter under a plea deal with the state.

Justice Devan Rampersad sentenced Campbell to 28 years in prison, with a remaining term of one year and nine months to serve. Sobrian, having already spent 23 years on remand, was released on three years of probation and ordered to undergo counselling. Both received a one-third reduction in their sentences for their guilty pleas, and their time spent in custody was deducted from the final term.

According to the evidence, the day before Lester Sobrian was killed, he had an altercation with his stepdaughter after she returned from church. He reportedly slapped her six times, prompting relatives to intervene and lock him outside the gate.

Sobrian’s daughter called her and she returned home with her. Moments later, Lester also came home, and Campbell invited him to a bar in Fyzabad for drinks.

Lester’s body was discovered the next morning at Sewal Trace, Fyzabad, by police on patrol.

Campbell confessed to his cousin, saying, “I slit the man throat.” He also told police after he was arrested, “Well, ah force him down on his knees, ah take meh left hand and pull he neck back, ah take meh right hand with the knife and start to cut on he neck and ah pull it.”

Campbell claimed that during their time at the bar, Lester made a series of racist remarks, leading to a brief scuffle. Afterward, they continued drinking before leaving together.

Hours later, as they walked toward Campbell’s car, Lester allegedly repeated the offensive remarks, triggering another altercation. Campbell admitted to slitting Lester’s throat with a knife and later discarding both the weapon and Lester’s wallet on his way home.

During police questioning, Sobrian said she had discussed her marital problems with Campbell the night before but insisted she would not leave her husband. She claimed Campbell reassured her, saying, “Doh worry, ah go help yuh.”

She also admitted telling Campbell, “Do what you have to do, but in spite of all that, I still love meh husband.”

After he killed Lester, Campbell called Sobrian, telling her that he had killed her husband by cutting his throat. She said Campbell warned her not to tell anyone and threatened to harm her and her children if she did.

Sobrian’s attorneys, Michelle Ali and Janeil Chuck of the Public Defenders’ Department, argued that she was a victim of domestic abuse and did not actively participate in the killing.

Meanwhile, Campbell’s attorneys, Larry Williams and Toni Roberts, contended that he acted under the influence of alcohol and was provoked by racial slurs. They said he had a traumatic upbringing, which included severe physical abuse from his mother, who allegedly tied him up and beat him, leaving scars. They noted that his relatives eventually removed him from the abusive household.

State attorney Taterani Sookoo-Seecharan prosecuted the case.