Berbice man sentenced to 8 years for felonious wounding

The Berbice High Court on Tuesday ordered that a 26-year-old man from Albion, Corentyne serve eight years in prison on a felonious wounding conviction.

The convict, Joshua Preme, begged for leniency minutes before the custodial punishment was handed down by Justice Jo Ann Barlow.

“Have mercy upon me,” he remarked in response to the Judge’s question about whether he had anything to say before the sentence was imposed.

Preme was found guilty of the offence by a jury in earlier February. His sentencing hearing was, however, put off today in order for the Judge to hear from pre-sentence reports.

Preme and the victim, 41-year-old Jagdeo Ganesh, are from the same village, according to court documents. 

They lived a street away from each other.

On August 9, 2021, Preme ran out of his yard, shoved Ganesh from his bicycle, and began chopping him with a cutlass as he went to cut branches to make brooms.

State Counsel Muntaz Ali presented the prosecution’s case, and Sasha Roberts, a defence attorney, represented Preme. 

In her sentencing remarks, the High Court Judge stated that there is a growing trend in society of persons committing violent crimes with dangerous weapons.

Given this, she stated that severe penalties need to be imposed in order to discourage future offenders.

The trial Judge ordered the Prison Service to provide Preme with specialised skill training so that, upon his release from custody, he might make a meaningful contribution to society.