Man who murdered a woman and her sons wants to walk free
36-year-old Abishai Caesar, the Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo man, who was handed the death penalty last month for the murders of a businesswoman and her two young sons, has filed an appeal against his conviction and sentence.
He murdered 41-year-old Jennifer Persaud and her two sons, Afridi Bacchus, 6, and 17-month-old Jadon Ernest between September 21 and 22, 2012 at Sea View Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara.
Following a trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court, a jury found Caesar guilty as charged. He was sentenced to death on each count by the trial Judge.
In documents filed at the Guyana Court of Appeal, Caeser is complaining that the imposition of the death penalty is severe in the circumstances of the case. He complains, too, that at trial he was given poor legal representation.
The convicted killer also contends that his trial was unfair and has cited conflict of interest.
Justice Kissoon, in imposing the capital punishment, had told Caesar…
“You have treated life and death as meaningless. It is only right, it is only proper, and it is only just, in view of your horrific crimes having regards to the exceptional and specific circumstances that I have eluded that you be sentenced to death”. The judge told him last month.
Even after the jury’s guilty verdicts, Caesar had maintained that he was innocent. “I would say that I maintain my innocence. I did not kill Jennifer Persaud and her children.”
State Counsel Lisa Cave and State Counsel Tyra Bakker presented the case for the Prosecution, while Attorney-at-law Rachael Bakker appeared on behalf of Caesar. This was Caesar’s second trial for the murders; his first trial back in 2019 ended in a hung jury.
Caesar broke into the businesswoman’s home and robbed and killed her and her two sons by slitting their throats.
He was only arrested for the horrendous killings in April 2016, after his former reputed wife, Zoey Phillips informed the Police that he had confided in her about killing the family.
Phillips was the Prosecution’s star witness in both of Caesar’s trials.
