Life sentence for man who killed overseas-based Guyanese during robbery.

For the murder of overseas-based Guyanese, Purcell Moore, 26-year-old Wayne Anthony Chester called “Sharky”, of Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), has been sentenced to life imprisonment.  

Purcell Moore

The convicted killer must serve 30 years before he becomes eligible for parole.

Chester was tried for and found guilty of the capital offence by a mixed 12-member jury in June.

On December 20, 2017, he murdered Moore, 40, during the course/furtherance of a robbery that happened at Craig, EBD. Chester had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In his sentencing remarks on Friday, Justice Kissoon pointed out that Moore was “ruthlessly and brutally murdered” by Chester and two others, while helpless, defenceless, and unarmed.

The Judge highlighted that Chester has not shown a shred of “remorse, regret, or sympathy” for his horrendous and destructive criminal conduct which has left a family and community in pain.

Chester, who was identified as the triggerman, was arrested for the murder on January 6, 2019.

In passing the sentence, Justice Kissoon ordered that the convict must be credited for the time he has already spent in pretrial custody.

Chester was represented by Attorney-at-Law Adrian Thompson. State Counsel Tiffini Lyken, Simran Gajraj, Rbina Christmas, and Cicelia Corbin prosecuted the case.

In 2021, Selwin Dawson, and Kevin Persaud, both 23, were each sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum term of 15 years for killing Moore.

Dawson and Persaud, who were initially indicted for murder, opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter during their arraignment before Justice Kissoon.

“This callus crime and course of conduct displayed by the accused [Persaud and Dawson] must be addressed. Members of society ought to be free to move about …whether in the precinct of the business community in downtown Georgetown, in their neighbourhood, or their home…” Justice Kissoon had said at Dawson’s and Persaud’s sentencing hearing.

Moore had just returned to his homeland from French Guiana to celebrate the Christmas holidays with his family when he was shot and robbed of his gold chain and other jewellery by three men. He received two gunshot wounds- one to the head and another to the chest.

The now-dead man was attacked and robbed a short distance away from his parents’ Craig, EBD home at around 06:30 hours.

He was picked up by his father and rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, EBD where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. 

Moore was a clothes vendor and father of two.

Dawson has since appealed his sentence.

Meanwhile, back in May 2019, Chester was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for robbery under-arms, illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, discharging a loaded firearm with intent, and damage to property. The victim of the robbery was a Policeman.