A Caparo man who fatally stabbed his neighbour in the chest because he was tied and dragged by the man with a dog leash, will serve the remaining 13 months and seven days left on his sentence.
Devanand “Kong” Seenath pleaded guilty to manslaughter when he appeared before Justice Carla Brown-Antoine who sentenced him earlier this week.
Seenath was originally charged with murder but was allowed to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter after applying to do so before the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
His sentence was 20 years imprisonment with hard labour, which was the recommendation in the plea deal. from this sentence, the judge applied a one-third discount for Seenath's guilty plea and also deducted the 12 years, two months and 23 days he had spent in prison on remand, awaiting trial.
The judge also recommended that Seenath enrol in an anger-management programme and drug and alcohol rehab programme at the prison, during the remainder of his sentence, since there was evidence he was in a drunken stupor when he stabbed Peter Wallace on March 8, 2011.
Browne-Antoine also ordered the destruction of the knife used to stab Wallace.
Seenath and some other neighbours were liming and the court heard that he had consumed about eight drinks before he stabbed Wallace. He told police Wallace came up to him and put a strap his brother used to tie his dogs with, around him.
Seenath said when Wallace began pulling him out of the yard to the road, he “pelt a stab” over his shoulder when he thought the man was going to wrap the strap around his neck. He said Wallace was saying “yuh tie up here today, you tie up.”
When told he would be charged with Wallace’s murder, Seenath told investigators, “ah was defending mehself.”
Wallace told one of the friends who was drinking in the group that it was Seenath who had stabbed him before he was taken to the Chaguanas health facility where he died.
The knife was recovered at a nearby bar where Seenath had gone to and drank two beers after the incident. He was arrested at the bar.
Crime scene investigators found blood on the road, a black strap and a Stag beer bottle.
These items as well as the knife and Seenath’s clothing were taken to the Forensic Science Centre for analysis but the court was told the police are yet to receive the results.
Before she sentenced Seenath, Brown-Antoine raised concerns she had, after reading the reports submitted to the court by the prison.
Based on their assessment, Seenath was said to be at a high risk of re-offending if placed back into society.
The judge’s concerns centred around Seenath’s alcohol and drug use problem. He admitted to being an alcoholic who used marijuana regularly, as he could get that drug in jail, but not the alcohol.
The reports said since Seenath never addressed his substance abuse problem, it was likely he would return to drug and alcohol use.
The judge considered two options, either release Seenath from prison and place him on probation or have him remain incarcerated
