Groom Gets 25yrs for Murdering Girlfriend 20yrs Ago
August 26 2025
After evading capture for more than two decades, 53-year-old Gautier Fernandes was on Tuesday, August 26, sentenced to 25 years in prison for the 2002 murder of his reputed wife, Taijwantie Roshini Sooklall.
Justice Zamina Ally-Seepaul, who handed down the sentence in the High Court, initially imposed a 30-year term but deducted time for mitigating factors, including Fernandes’ lack of prior convictions and his conduct during three years of incarceration ahead of trial.
Before sentencing, Fernandes expressed regret and pleaded for a chance to reunite with his family.
However, the judge noted that his remarks showed no genuine remorse, as he attempted to blame the victim for his actions. She stressed that instead of aiding Sooklall or surrendering, Fernandes fled and remained at large for 20 years, during which he fathered three children with another woman while raising the three he had with Sooklall.
Justice Ally-Seepaul highlighted the alarming prevalence of domestic violence in Guyana, stating that the sentence was intended both as punishment and as a deterrent. She further ruled that Fernandes continues to pose a danger to society.
The murder occurred on January 26, 2002, when Fernandes ambushed Sooklall on a dam in the Little Diamond Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara, slashing her throat.
He also attacked her female friend, wounding her hand before she escaped.
Fernandes fled first to Soesdyke, then to Onderneeming, Essequibo, where he began a new relationship and fathered three more children.
In June 2022, he was preparing to wed his partner when police, acting on a tip-off, arrested him at the church before the ceremony could take place.
Initially, Fernandes denied killing Sooklall but later confessed. On August 6, 2025, he pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court, leading to this week’s sentencing.
