In the space of a few hours four men were allowed yesterday to plead guilty to the murders of a housewife and a taxi driver who were killed in separate incidents over ten years ago.
Because of their guilty pleas, their lengthy detention in remand and the fact that their crimes fall within the felony murder rule, Fizul Rahaman, Hassan Hosein, Ryan Ramoutar and Prem Badri were spared the death penalty and instead sentenced to between 14 years and 18 years in prison.
Under the rule, judges are given the discretion to waive the mandatory sentence in circumstances where the victim's death occurred during the commission of a lesser criminal offence.
During consecutive hearings before Justice Devan Rampersad in the Port-of-Spain High Court yesterday, Rahaman pleaded guilty to murdering his neighbour Katie Sundar in 2003, while the three others pleaded guilty to killing Samraj Ramkumar in 2004.
In sentencing 33-year-old Rahaman, Rampersad noted that even with a third discount being applied, based on his guilty plea, he was still liable to a 30-year sentence for killing and robbing Sundar, a mother of four from Kelly Village, Caroni.
He will be released in 18 years and four months as the time he spent in remand awaiting trial was deducted from his sentence.
Clearly expecting a much lower sentence, Rahaman interrupted Rampersad to voice his displeasure with the sentence.
"I never kill the woman. I plead guilty to save time and get a lower sentence but is better I did fight my case. This is wickedness you doing poor people," Rahaman told Rampersad as a group of police officers led him out of the court before the end of the hearing.
According to the evidence in his case, presented by State prosecutor Nigel Pilgrim, Sundar died from 49 stab wounds she sustained in a robbery at her home on December 2, 2003.
Rahaman, her next door neighbour, was charged with the crime after he attempted to pawn pieces of jewelry that was stolen from her house. His fingerprint was also found on a window, which was used by Sundar's attackers to enter the house.
Hosein, Ramoutar and Badri were much more receptive to Rampersad's sentence than Rahaman although their initial sentences before the time served deduction were five years less than his.
Each man was sentenced to 25 years which was reduced by Rampersad to 14 years and four months.
All three pleaded guilty to killing 22-year-old Samraj Ramkumar on November 26, 2004.
Ramkumar, of Garth Road, Princes Town, was found behind a house at Calcutta No 1, Freeport. His throat had ben slit.
The three men were spotted fleeing the scene by residents of the area. Ramkumar allegedly knew the men who claimed they killed him after he reneged on his promise to serve as their getaway driver in a robbery.
Rahaman was represented by Amerelle Francis.