Guyana: West Ruimveldt Man Sentenced to 32 Years for Murder

Randy Tafari Smith, a 27-year-old labourer formerly of West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, has been sentenced to 32 years’ imprisonment for the murder of Nico Layne, known as “Daddy.” The sentencing took place in the High Court in Demerara, presided over by Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh, after Smith admitted to his involvement in the killing.

The court has ordered that the time Smith spent on remand be deducted from his prison term. In determining the sentence, the judge started with a baseline of 36 years but reduced it by one-third, or 12 years, due to Smith’s guilty plea. The court considered various factors, including expressions of remorse, the severe impact on the victim’s family, and the brutality of the attack, ultimately resulting in a 32-year sentence.

According to court documents, Layne, 26, was killed on March 28, 2021, following a violent chase through Georgetown that concluded on Leopold Street. An agreed statement of facts revealed that Smith and others pursued Layne through several streets before cornering him. Smith was armed with a cutlass approximately 22 inches long, while another participant, Osafi Johnson, had a knife. A female companion was also reportedly armed.

Witnesses reported that Layne had been socializing with friends earlier that day before being attacked. After he fell to the ground on Leopold Street, Smith allegedly caught up with him and repeatedly struck him with the cutlass. State prosecutors characterized the attack as particularly brutal, noting that a post-mortem examination found Layne had sustained 17 incised wounds, with the cause of death attributed to haemorrhage and shock from multiple injuries.

During sentencing submissions, prosecutors urged the court to consider the extreme violence of the attack, referencing CCTV footage that captured parts of the pursuit and the events leading to Layne’s death. The court also reviewed victim impact statements from Layne’s relatives, who expressed the emotional and psychological toll his death had taken on the family. One relative recounted receiving the tragic news and described the family’s struggle to cope with the loss, noting that an aunt who helped raise Layne later passed away due to grief.

A probation report presented on Smith’s behalf highlighted his challenging upbringing, including the loss of both parents during childhood. It also noted his participation in rehabilitation programs while on remand, including anger management and family reconciliation sessions, and his expression of remorse for his actions. However, the court concluded that the severity of the offense, the sustained nature of the attack, and its impact on the victim’s family justified a significant custodial sentence.

With the sentence now imposed, Smith will serve the remaining 32-year term, minus the time already spent on remand. This sentencing follows that of co-accused Osafi Johnson, who was previously sentenced to 32 years’ imprisonment after admitting his role in Layne’s murder.

Source: snn.gy

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