“Chucky” gets 11-year jail sentence for killing pensioner during home invasion
A 29-year-old man, who along with his accomplices slashed a pensioner’s throat during a robbery, has been jailed for 11 years and four months. The custodial sentence was handed down Friday afternoon by Justice Simone Morris-Ramall at the High Court in Demerara.
Initially indicted for the capital offence of murder, Godfrey Gill formerly of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD) opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter, thereby admitting that he unlawfully killed 76-year-old David Ramkissoon on August 21, 2016, during a robbery.
Ramkissoon called ‘Dillip’ and ‘Shortman’ was discovered in a pool of blood in the bottom flat of his 61 Better Hope, South, ECD house where he lived with his son, his son’s wife, and their two sons. He was found with his throat slit and an undisclosed sum of cash was missing from his home.
At a sentencing hearing Friday, the pensioner’s son, Anand Ramkissoon related that he is still devastated by his father’s untimely passing. He said, “I have no urge to do work because of always having the memories of my father. My siblings would call me to check that I’m okay…”
Meanwhile, a crying and trembling Gill, who appeared in court virtually, blamed his actions on the bad company he once associated himself with. “I am very sorry for all that happened. I did not want anyone to get hurt. Because of the bad influence…. I’m sorry for being part of the act.”
Justice Morris-Ramall, in her sentencing remark, highlighted that Gill and other persons invaded the privacy of the elderly man’s home as she noted the serious nature of the offence. In the end, Gill was jailed for 11 years and four months, less the time he spent on remand pending trial.
He has been on remand since September 2016. The convicted killer, who prison officials described as “cooperative”, is the father of a five-year-old girl. Gill was represented by lawyer Dexter Smartt while State Counsel Caressa Henry appeared on behalf of the prosecution.
