Fmr. MMC security guard gets 12 years jail for killing father of four

Kevin Stephens, a former MMC security guard was on Tuesday sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for the fatal shooting of his colleague during a heated exchange over claims that his co-workers were making fun of his daughter.

Stephens, formerly of La Penitence, Georgetown, was sentenced by Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court for the offence of manslaughter. He was initially charged with murder but opted to plead to the lesser count of manslaughter.

Stephens had confessed that on September 17, 2016, at Happy Acres, East Coast Demerara, he unlawfully killed Hubert Verwayne, a driver of the same security firm.

Verwayne was a father of four and resided at Block 8, Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo. Attorney-at-law George Thomas represented Stephens.

On the day in question, Verwayne was in the company of several employees when Stephens, armed with a shotgun, approached in a rage and accused him and others of making ill remarks about his daughter.

He then opened fire, killing Verwayne while another employee received wounds to his left hand during the incident.