Judge puts killer on bond

WITH only four months to serve out on a 33-year sentence imposed on him, Michael Ramdwar was today placed on a $25,000 bond by a high court judge.

Ramdwar pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the killing of central businessman Ramcoomar Ramoutar at Carlsen Field on February 22, 1997. He and another man, Anthony Amogan, were accused of robbing Ramoutar at his home at Edinburgh Village, Chaguanas, kidnapping him, and then shooting him in the knee caps.

Ramoutar bled to death.

Both men were sentenced to hang in 2003, but the Court of Appeal quashed their convictions and sentences on December 15, 2006 and ordered a re-trial.

In 2013, Amogan was freed, in error, of the murder charge, while Ramdwar was not so lucky.

Earlier today, Justice Norton Jack sentenced the prisoner to a total of 33 years, but after he discounted one-third of it for the guilty plea and the 21 years, seven months and 29 days Ramdwar spent awaiting trial, he was left with four months to serve.

Jack substituted the four months with the bond, and ordered that Ramdwar be placed under the supervisory control of the Probation Department.

Ramdwar was represented by attorney Keith Scotland.