RoseHall Shoemaker to spend 4 years in jail for killing friend

On Wednesday, Vivian Ross, 46, a shoemaker of Rose Hall, Corentyne, was given a four-year prison sentence for killing his friend, whom he had assaulted during a drinking spree.

Following the reading of pre-sentencing reports, Justice Jo Ann Barlow of the High Court in Demerara sentenced Ross, also known as “Jerry,” to a term of imprisonment.

As part of a plea agreement with the State, Ross chose to enter a guilty plea to the lesser count of manslaughter in February, after being initially charged with the capital offence of murder.

Thus, he acknowledged that on July 13, 2018, in Rose Hall in Corentyne, he had unlawfully killed 43-year-old Wayne Sundarsingh, also known as “Wino,” illegally.

The Judge mandated that Ross should be given full credit for his time spent on remand.

In a brief speech to the court on Wednesday, Ross expressed his regret to the dead man’s family. He blamed his actions that day on consuming too much alcohol.

Meanwhile, Justice Barlow said during the sentencing hearing that she believed Ross’s apology to the family of the deceased was genuine.

In the end, the Judge chose to sentence Ross to prison and ordered the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) to enroll him in counselling programmes intended especially for violent offenders.

After the convicted felon was released from prison, Justice Barlow counselled him to limit his alcohol intake. 

Senior Counsel Murseline Bacchus represented Ross.

State Counsel Muntaz Ali presented the prosecution’s case.

Painter Sundarsingh of Lot 316 Fifth Street, Swamp Section, Rose Hall, died soon after being found, suffering from severe head injuries and bruises about his body.

Ross’s home on Bulletwood Street in Rose Hall, which is near to his own home, is where he is said to have been drinking alcoholic beverages. 

It was there that his family found him unconscious.

Ross allegedly informed detectives that he gave the now-dead man a cuff before the man collapsed and hit his head when he was apprehended by the police.

The official cause of death for Sundarsingh was given as haemorrhaging caused by blunt trauma to the head.