East Canje Berbice man jailed for 12 years for killing elderly mother

A 39-year-old man of Adelphi Village, East Canje Berbice was on Wednesday sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for killing his elderly mother.

The convict, Totaram Lalta had been indicted for the 2019 murder of his biological mother, Jagranie Ramotar, 78, whom he had slapped multiple times and pushed to the ground.

However, upon his arraignment before Berbice High Court Judge Simone Morris-Ramlall, he opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter.

According to information disclosed in court, on October 14, 2019, Lalta came home intoxicated and saw his mother in the kitchen.

He then slapped her several times and pushed her, causing her to fall and hit her head. After he noticed his elderly mother bleeding from the nose, he went outside.

Ramotar was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where she was admitted as a patient. 

She remained there for several weeks until she was discharged on November 10, 2019. She eventually died four days later at home.

A post-mortem examination conducted on the now dead woman revealed that she died as a result of chronic subdural hematoma caused by blunt trauma to the head.

During a sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Lalta expressed regret for his actions. “I regret my actions. I am very, very sorry for what I have done. May my mother’s soul rest in peace.”

In her sentencing remarks, Justice Morris-Ramlall said that instead of showing the woman who gave him life love and gratitude, Lalta disrespected her.

From the 12-year sentence, the prison service was ordered to deduct the time the convicted killer spent on remand awaiting trial. 

Lalta was represented by Attorney-at-Law Surihya Sabsook while State counsel Muntaz Ali represented the prosecution.

Lalta was previously sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for threatening and physically abusing his mother.