“Done Dance” sentenced to 12 years for chopping man to death

Twelve years in prison, less time served, is the sentence imposed on a Hopetown Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB) man, who has pleaded guilty to chopping a man whom he claimed had also chopped him.

When labourer Kevin Garraway, 25, passed away on March 30, 2020, 28-year-old Delroy Roberston, also known as “Done Dance,” was charged with his murder during that time.

DEAD: Kevin Garraway

Robertson was recently arraigned before the Berbice High Court. When the murder accusation was read to him, he denied it, but he did acknowledge guilt to the lesser offence of manslaughter.

Judge Jo Ann Barlow handed down the sentence on Tuesday, directing that part of the 12 years be deducted for the time the offender was placed on remand while awaiting trial.

The Prison Service was ordered by the judge to provide the felon with skill training in a subject of his choosing in order to aid in his rehabilitation and to get him ready for reintegration into society.

Attorney-at-Law Sasha Roberts represented Garraway, and Stare Counsel Muntaz Ali presented the prosecution’s case. 

According to the prosecution’s case, on March 30, 2020, at around 15:00 hours, Robertson was overheard stating, “Kevin, you will defend your badness wah yuh get today in town,” in Hopetown, close to the intersection of James Street and Blair Avenue.

Then he rode out into the street, returned with a cutlass, and started firing chops at a shed that had people standing underneath, including Garraway. Robertson used the cutlass to drive the people—including the now-deceased man—out from under the shed.

A short while later, Garraway was taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital after being noticed near Blair Avenue with injuries. Later on, he was referred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.

He was found to have blood loss, cuts to his left hand and thigh, and cuts to his left leg at approximately 17:15 that day.  It was determined that his wounds were grave and potentially fatal.

When the wounded man was being questioned by police officers while in the hospital, he revealed to them that Robertson had chopped him on his foot and that he was terrified of dying.

Court records state that Robertson was taken into custody by police on March 31, 2020, at Number 29 Village, WCB. 

He confessed to the crime, telling detectives that on March 18, 2020, while they were in Georgetown, he and Garraway had an argument, and that as a result, Garraway had chopped him in the face and abdomen.

Robertson claimed that on March 30, 2020, Garraway threatened to kill him and admitted having previously killed other people. 

He added that he chopped Garraway in the foot, threw away the cutlass, and rode off on a bicycle as Garraway lunged at him while wielding a cutlass.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, Robertson apologised to the deceased’s family, telling them he was sorry for “my stupid mistake” which caused the death of their loved one. 

Garraway died as a result of haemorrhage and shock due to incised wounds to the knee, according to a post mortem examination.