Basilon Street man sentenced for 2022 murder while wearing ankle monitor

A man from Basilon Street, Port of Spain, has been sentenced to concurrent prison terms for the 2022 murder of a Harpe Place man and firearm-related offences in a plea agreement approved by the High Court.

Justice Nalini Singh sentenced Rasheed Mustafa on September 22, after approving his plea deal with the State, and calculating deductions for his guilty plea, time spent and his efforts at rehabilitation. He was left with a final sentence of four years, seven months and 11 days left to serve.

Mustafa, 18 at the time of the crime, admitted guilt under the felony murder construct in connection with the August 24, 2022, shooting death of Jevon Roberts in Belmont. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The case was prosecuted by Maria Lyons-Edwards, Cassie Bisram and Afeisha Williams, while Michael Modeste and Chimere Gibson-Wadi, of the Public Defenders’ Department, represented Mustafa.

Mustafa received a seven-year sentence with hard labour for felony murder, reduced to four years, seven months and 11 days after deductions for time served and mitigating factors. For possession of a firearm and ammunition, he was sentenced to two years, with time spent in custody credited.

Aggravating factors considered by the judge included Mustafa’s use of a weapon, his co-ordination with others, and the fact that he was on bail and under electronic monitoring at the time of the killing.

His attorneys, however, stressed his youth, difficult upbringing, lack of prior prison breaches, and expression of remorse.

“The most appropriate aim for the Honourable Court to pursue in these circumstances is that of rehabilitation,” the defence submitted, arguing that Mustafa’s environment and upbringing contributed to his choices.

Justice Singh stressed the need for rehabilitation and noted Mustafa’s “flagrant disregard for the court’s authority” when committing the crime while on bail.

Roberts, 29, also known as “Temper” and “Yankee,” died of multiple gunshot wounds after being attacked in broad daylight. Investigators tied Mustafa to the crime using CCTV footage and data from his court-ordered ankle monitoring device. His whereabouts were tracked, and police officers who previously interacted with him positively identified him at the Besson Street police station.

Mustafa was arrested in March 2023 and charged two months later.