A 57- year-old Curepe man on Wednesday pleaded guilty to killing a coconut vendor in 2012 by hitting him on the head with a brick at a bar in the area.
Enal Gobin, also called Corey, was allowed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter after Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds accepted the plea-bargain agreement entered into between the State and the defence.
Prosecutor Danielle Thompson said it was the State’s position to accept the plea, in the interest of justice, having regard to the time Gobin has spent in custody, and because provocation arose on the facts.
It was the State’s case that on January 23, 2012, Gobin and his wife were drinking at the Chosen Bar when Jagdeo Basdeo joined them.
The two men began to “ole talk” with Basdeo telling Gobin about “sleeping with his wife.”
Gobin told the man he was too disrespectful and a scuffle took place with Gobin’s wife pulling him back. This happened repeatedly before Gobin took up a hammer, then a brick even as other patrons at the bar were telling him to “cool it.”
Gobin walked away but turned back and hit Basdeo once with the brick before throwing it away.
An ambulance was called and Basdeo, who was unconscious, was taken to hospital. He died on January 23, 2013, and the initial charge of wounding with intent against Gobin changed to one of murder.
At the St Joseph police station, Gobin admitted to hitting Basdeo on the head. He said Basdeo told him he used to sleep with his wife and when he asked him to leave, he refused.
CCTV footage of the incident at the bar, photographs, medical reports and a post-mortem report were submitted into evidence at Wednesday’s hearing.
The judge commended the parties for making use of the Criminal Procedure (Plea Discussion and Plea Agreement) legislation, expressing hope that once the parties “get it right from the beginning,” plea bargains can begin even before a charge is laid.
In keeping with the provisions of the legislation, the judge, before Gobin was arraigned and allowed to plead, asked him several questions to ascertain if he understood the terms of the agreement and, in particular, the court could reject the plea.
After being satisfied, Ramsumair-Hinds accepted Gobin’s plea. In a victim impact statement read out by the prosecutor, Basdeo’s son Kemchand said since his father’s death, it has been a struggle for him as his father was the family’s only provider.
His mother left when he was young and he said his father was all he knew. His grandmother, who lived with them, died shortly after Basdeo “due to worry,” and an aunt who took over assisting him, also died a year later. The younger Basdeo said those events took a toll on him and it has been hard emotionally, physiologically, financial and psychologically. Now on his own, Kemchand Basdeo said he has had to work to save up money to pay for his medical books as he is “studying to be a doctor.”
“But it is hard.”
As for Gobin, he said he could not say if he forgave him or not.
As part of the plea agreement, the State and defence have
