Construction worker receives 18-year prison sentence for friend’s deadly stabbing

A construction worker was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Friday for the deadly stabbing of his friend.

Andrew Seegobin, 32, from Johns, Port Mourant, Corentyne Berbice, was charged and taken into custody for the murder of Ramanand Mingo, which took place on November 19, 2023, at the Superbet shop in John’s, Port Mourant, Corentyne Berbice.

When the charge was presented to Seegobin in front of Justice Deborah Kumar-Chetty at Berbice High Court, he pleaded not guilty. Following a jury trial, Seegobin was found guilty of the crime.

Before giving the sentence, Justice Deborah Kumar-Chetty mentioned that Seegobin spoke to the court to present his case for a lighter sentence. He apologized to the family of the victim, expressing sorrow for their loss. Seegobin hoped they would understand that he was acting in self-defense.

He also mentioned that he had suffered injuries and regretted the loss the family experienced, wishing them the justice they sought. The judge noted that Seegobin apologized to his own family as well, expressing a desire to one day return to the streets.

The court acknowledged that the victim was unarmed at the time he was stabbed. The judge pointed out that the knife wound would have penetrated Ramanand’s heart. She referenced the testimony of Dr. Bridgemohan, a forensic pathology expert who performed the postmortem examination, indicating that it was very improbable the injuries were caused by accident, suggesting death was likely to follow.

The court took into account that a dangerous weapon was used in this crime.

Justice Kumar-Chetty remarked that Seegobin’s actions were reckless and involved the use of a dangerous instrument. She noted that, according to Dr. Bridgemohan, the injury to the victim was unlikely to have happened accidentally due to the severity of the wound. The judge explained that Dr. Bridgemohan testified that a significant amount of force would have been necessary to cause such an injury.

Justice Kumar-Chetty pointed out that Seegobin and Ramanand were friends who spent time together, making his actions particularly unacceptable. She also highlighted that he ran away immediately after Ramanand fell, showing no intention to help.

The argument between the two prior to the incident did not justify the extreme violence that occurred.

The court considered the deep emotional effect the crime had on the victim’s mother, Lilowtie Ramsammy, who expressed immense sorrow over losing her son.

The court also recognized the impact on Ramanand’s brother, Dianand, who witnessed the event. Dianand shared that the pain he feels from losing his brother is beyond words, and his entire family has been greatly affected by this loss. He explained that their father was consumed by grief over Ramanand’s death and eventually passed away, adding to the family’s heartache.
The court looked at factors that lessen the seriousness of the crime. Justice Kumar-Chetty mentioned that there are circumstances that can lessen the severity of the offense. She noted that because of the situation surrounding the deceased’s death, the court viewed it as a factor that mitigates the crime, especially since the deadly injury occurred during a heated and confrontational moment, which the actions of both the deceased and his brother helped to escalate.

Justice Kumar-Chetty indicated that even though the jury did not accept the defendant’s claims of self-defense, the court recognizes that the crime happened during a tense confrontation, which plays a significant role in understanding the context of the fatal injury. The court assessed that the crime was not premeditated as a mitigating factor. The judge pointed out that the nature of the argument and swearing that preceded the event showed it was not planned. She mentioned that there were no previous issues between Seegobin and the deceased.

The court observed that there was a chance for the deceased and his brother to leave the store after being pushed out the gate.

Justice Kumar-Chetty stated that the video evidence shows Seegobin was filming on his cellphone when Ramanand ran at him, leading to the injury that caused his death.

Justice Kumar-Chetty began the sentence at 22 years in prison.

When discussing the factors that lessen the punishment, the judge said the defendant has no past criminal record, and this fatal stabbing is his first offense. The court viewed Seegobin’s attitude towards the crime as a mitigating factor. She mentioned his expressed sorrow for the life he took and that he apologized to the family of the deceased and to his own family, saying he hopes to see them on the road again.

The court considered the positive points in the probation and prison behavior reports. It was noted that Seegobin is a good candidate for rehabilitation since he completed secondary education and used to work as a plumber, demonstrating skills that can help him reintegrate into society.

The judge indicated that there will be no one-third reduction in the sentence.

Justice Kumar-Chetty told Seegobin that the event is a sad reminder of how quickly an argument can turn into anger and violence, ruining lives and families.

When giving the 18-year sentence, the judge instructed the prison officials to subtract the time Seegobin spent in custody from the moment he was taken to prison until the sentence was given.

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