Two Men Sentenced to Life in Prison for Execution-Style Killing of “Gaza”

December 3 2024 – Sitaffa Joseph, 32, and Rickford Marcus, 27, have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the execution-style murder of 27-year-old Seon “Gaza” London.

The High Court in Demerara, presided over by Justice Navindra Singh, handed down the sentence on Monday after a jury found both men guilty of the fatal shooting.

The murder occurred in Sophia, Greater Georgetown, on October 17, 2020.

On the night of the crime, London was sitting outside a friend's house when the two assailants approached and opened fire with handguns.

Witnesses recounted hearing multiple gunshots as London was struck several times.

The attackers fled the scene, leaving London critically injured. He succumbed to his injuries before medical help could arrive and was pronounced dead at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

This was not the first time London was targeted. In May 2020, he survived another shooting, which police investigations later linked to one of the men convicted in his murder.

During the sentencing hearing, defence attorney Leslie Sobers urged the court for leniency, arguing that Joseph and Marcus were under the influence of marijuana, which impaired their judgment.

Both men expressed remorse but maintained their innocence, with Joseph pleading for the chance to reunite with his young child and Marcus apologizing while denying involvement in the crime.

However, the prosecution, led by attorney Madana Rampersaud, emphasized the premeditated nature of the killing and the use of firearms.

Rampersaud also pointed out that both offenders had prior criminal records: Joseph for robbery and drug trafficking, and Marcus for simple larceny.

A victim impact statement from London’s mother detailed the profound grief and loss her family has endured, as she called for the maximum penalty to be imposed.

Justice Singh described the crime as deliberate and calculated, noting the aggravating factors of premeditation, firearm use, and the men’s criminal histories.

He sentenced both Joseph called “Safo” and Marcus, also known as “Spent Shell”, to life imprisonment, setting a base parole eligibility period at 30 years.

The parole eligibility period was extended to 43 years, reflecting the premeditated nature of the crime, the use of a firearm, and the convicted killers’ prior criminal records.

Time already served in pre-trial detention will be deducted.

Attorney Christopher Belfield also represented the state in the prosecution of the case.