Two men who kidnapped a woman before shooting her in the face and leaving her for dead have each been sentenced to a total of 67 years in prison.Isaac Estrada, 25, and Jererley Rolle, 28, both of Diego Martin, received the lengthy sentences from Justice Hayden St Clair Douglas in the Port-of-Spain Fifth Assizes yesterday.
The two were convicted on December 17 of the kidnapping and attempted murder of 40-year-old secretary Linda Vandana Ali. They were also convicted on charges of robbery with violence and malicious damage to property.St Clair-Douglas sentenced each man to 25 years' imprisonment for attempted murder, 30 years for kidnapping, ten years for robbery and two years for malicious damage. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
In sentencing the duo, the judge described their crimes as "callous."Referring to probation officers' reports for both men, St Clair-Douglas said they showed no remorse for their actions and that they were "belligerent."St Clair-Douglas discounted from their sentences the seven years and nine months they spent in remand while awaiting trial.Ali, of Tiara Boulevard, Diamond Vale, was kidnapped at her home on May 29, 2005. She was entering her driveway around 8.45 pm when three men drove up.
Ali testified that the men threatened her with guns before they forced her into her car and drove away.They took her to Blue Basin Road, Diego Martin, where they interrogated her about her and her family's finances. Simultaneously, Ali's relatives received a ransom request for her safe release.Ali's friend Wilfred Baldwin paid a ransom of $8,000 to the kidnappers shortly after her abduction.
During her four-day testimony, a teary-eyed Ali said after questioning her and pistol-whipping her several times, one of her attackers said, "Yuh doh have any money."She said he then drew a gun and shot her in the face. One of the other men kicked her and she pretended to be dead.Ali testified after the men thought she was dead they left. A short while later, police responded to a report of a burning vehicle in the area.
A wounded Ali was found 200 metres from her burning car . She was taken to hospital where she later recovered from the gunshot wound.The accused were represented by Ian Brooks and prosecutor Randall Hector appeared for the State.