Man fit to stand trial for murdering 18-month old niece

After facing the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for almost four months for the murder of his 18-month-old niece over a pair of gold earrings, Sherwyn Roberts was on Thursday, January 4, 2018, deemed fit to stand trial following a psychiatric report.

On September 5, 2017, Roberts made his first court appearance before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan and was charged with the murder of his niece, 18-month old Ronasha Pilgrim on September 1, 2017, at Lot 98 North Sophia, Georgetown.

During that court appearance, the Chief Magistrate had ordered that Roberts undergo a psychiatric evaluation.  The psychiatric report, done by Dr Bhiro Harry, deemed Roberts mentally fit to stand trial.

Based on the findings, the Chief Magistrate adjourned the matter to January 8, 2018, for the commencement of a preliminary inquiry into the murder charge.

According to reports, on the day in question, the toddler was at home with her two older brothers —12-year-old Ryan and 10-year-old Ron Junior- in their one-bedroom house, while their father worked the night shift as a security guard.

At around 03:00hrs, Roberts allegedly gained entry into the house by breaking a louvre window in the bedroom and attempted to relieve the toddler of her gold earrings. When the child began to scream, the man reportedly tossed her through a window into the swampy yard.

Before leaving, he placed a pile of wood on top of the shallow grave and buried the toddler alive. Her body was submerged in water and slush and was pulled from the three feet deep muddy grave approximately an hour after it was buried there.

He was arrested at his ‘B’ Field Sophia home shortly after the incident. He had confessed to police at the Prashad Nagar Police Station and explained to ranks that he was “high on weed.”