Bloodshed on the cricket pitch: Accused walks free
April 1 2026
A young man who admitted to killing his friend during a heated dispute at a cricket match has been released from prison after the Demerara High Court ruled that the sentence imposed had already been fully served.
Afzal Deendial, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this year, walked free recently after Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh determined that the three-year term handed down was satisfied by the time he spent on remand from 2022.
Deendial had initially faced a murder charge but opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence on February 10, 2026, after it was accepted by the State.
During that hearing, prosecutor Christopher Belfield presented the agreed facts of the case, prompting the court to request a probation report and a victim impact statement ahead of sentencing.
Those reports, which examined the accused’s background, behaviour while in custody and the wider social circumstances, as well as the devastating consequences of the killing on the victim’s family, were later submitted and carefully considered by the court.
The fatal incident occurred on August 12, 2022, at the Muslim Youth Organisation Ground, where Deendial and 25-year-old Kareem Kayum were participating in a cricket match between opposing teams.
The two men, described as close friends, became embroiled in a verbal exchange that escalated rapidly.
What began as routine “name-calling” , often associated with competitive cricket, intensified into a heated argument.
Even after moving into the batting cage area, the court heard that Deendial continued directing remarks at Kayum, further fuelling tensions.
The confrontation soon turned physical. During the altercation, Deendial armed himself with a knife and stabbed Kayum once in the region of the heart.
The injured man collapsed at the scene and was later pronounced dead at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
At the time of the incident, Deendial was a 21-year-old student of the University of Guyana, living at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
He was subsequently arrested and, according to investigators, admitted to the act. He first appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before being committed to stand trial in the High Court.
The court also heard that Kayum, of Regent Street, Georgetown, had been preparing for his wedding, which was scheduled for August 21, 2022—just nine days after the fatal encounter.
On the day he was killed, he had reportedly been finalising arrangements before joining friends at the cricket game.
A victim impact statement presented to the court detailed the profound grief experienced by Kayum’s relatives, who described his death as both sudden and devastating.
They said the loss not only ended his future but left his family struggling with lasting emotional trauma.
In submissions on sentencing, Belfield stressed the gravity of the offence, noting that a knife had been used and arguing that Deendial had armed himself prior to the confrontation, suggesting a degree of premeditation.
The prosecution also contended that the accused’s conduct contributed to the escalation.
However, Justice Singh, in his ruling, made it clear that the circumstances were not entirely one-sided. He pointed to evidence indicating that Kayum had also been verbally aggressive and had escalated the situation.
The court further heard that Kayum, who was said to be physically larger, struck Deendial to the back of the head during the altercation.
According to the defence, this blow left Deendial disoriented and fearful, prompting him to react in what he perceived as self-defence.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the offence and the irreversible loss of life, the judge stated that full blame could not be placed solely on one party, given the nature of the confrontation.
As a result, he declined to give significant weight to several aggravating factors advanced by the prosecution.
Defence attorney Latchmie Rahamat told the court that her client had shown genuine efforts toward rehabilitation while on remand.
She said he enrolled in educational programmes, attempted to continue his university studies online and participated in essay competitions, where he performed well.
Rahamat described the incident as out of character and deeply tragic for both families, maintaining that Deendial had not intended to kill his friend but reacted in a moment of heightened emotion.
She also conveyed that both he and his family remain remorseful.
The court further heard that Deendial’s family has offered $1 million to assist Kayum’s young child.
Rahamat explained that the family initially withheld the gesture out of concern it could be misinterpreted, but maintained that the offer remains open as a sincere act of support.
Addressing the court before sentencing, Deendial expressed regret for his actions, stating that he had not intended to cause death and acted under intense emotional strain.
He apologised to the victim’s family and asked the court for leniency.
In determining the sentence, Justice Singh set a starting point of 18 years’ imprisonment, reflecting the seriousness of the offence.
However, this was reduced by six years for the early guilty plea, a further four years based on favourable probation findings, and an additional two years in consideration of Deendial’s youth and conduct.
The resulting sentence of three years was deemed already served due to time spent in custody. Deendial was therefore released.
