By Malisa Playter Harry
Robert Rollins aka “Dagalulu” of Kingston Squatting area, Corentyne Berbice was on Friday sentenced to 12 years in prison for wounding his reputed wife, Sharmela Singh, with the intent of causing grievous bodily harm.’
The ruling in the case which initially began on July 09, 2016 was passed down by Justice Jo Ann Barlow. Rollins appeared at the Berbice High Court in front of Justice Barlow and a mixed jury, to answer to the charge of attempted murder to which he was found not guilty. However, he was found guilty of Wounding with intent of causing grievous bodily harm.
It was alleged that he repeatedly committed the act on his reputed wife for several years.
During the trial, evidence was given by a medical practitioner who attended to the injuries that the victim received, a police officer and the victim herself.
The court heard that on the day of the incident (July 03, 2016), Singh was at their Kingston Squatting Area home with a relative in a hammock located on the bottom flat of the home, when she saw Rollins rushing into the yard armed with two cutlasses.
According to Singh, Rollins asked her, “where you gon run now?” and shortly after began to “fire chops” all about her body. Rollins then quietly walked out of the yard leaving the woman bleeding profusely on the ground. Singh was picked up by relatives and rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital. She was subsequently rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital and later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
A medical examination that was conducted at the time stated that Singh sustained life-threatening injuries with lacerations to the head, right thumb, upper region of the back, left forearm, left wrist, left shoulder, left upper arm and swelling and bruising in other areas of the body.
The matter was prosecuted by state council Ms. Stacy Goodings.
The accused was unrepresented. On Wednesday, September 07, 2016, Rollins was given 24hrs to find an attorney to defend him, however; he was unsuccessful in securing one.
