Mabaruma Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Fatal Stabbing

Christopher Van Nooten, 50, of Mabaruma, North-West District (NWD), has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for manslaughter.

Van Nooten was originally charged with the murder of 44-year-old Sherwin Smith, a resident of Kumaka Water Front, NWD, following a deadly altercation on April 18, 2022 (Easter Monday).

During his trial at the Demerara High Court, Van Nooten opted to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Justice Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus instructed the jury to return a verdict of guilty on the manslaughter charge, leading to the imposition of the custodial sentence.

The incident unfolded at the Mabaruma Settlement Ground, where Van Nooten was seen by a police officer approaching Smith with a knife.

He then stabbed Smith multiple times before the officer intervened and disarmed him.

Smith attempted to flee but collapsed shortly after and was rushed to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital. Despite receiving treatment for stab wounds to his abdomen and neck, Smith succumbed to his injuries later that evening.

Reports suggest that a longstanding dispute between the two men led to the fatal encounter.