A 50-year-old farmer, Alvin Drugean, known as ‘Alvin Bhola’ and ‘Blacka,’ was on Thursday handed two life sentences by Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Berbice High Court for the 2019 double murder at the Sunsplash Holiday Beach Resort, located at #63 Village, Corentyne Berbice.
Earlier this month, Drugean pleaded guilty to the capital offence, admitting to the killing of 71-year-old Vivekanand Narpatty and his employee, Harry Persaud between December 19-27, 2019.
During the sentencing hearing, Ebony Narpatty, the victim’s daughter, virtually delivered her impact statement from Canada, expressing the trauma, depression, and pain she endured since the incident.
She also questioned why she didn’t have access to her late father’s case file.
“I am very educated. I have a business master’s degree and three-time police training in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and a postgraduate in law. How come I never have access to my late father’s murder case file?… I feel like a major piece is missing from my life and don’t know how to recover from it. Regardless of whatever sentence occurs today, I must repeat this is a very huge loss towards Guyana, and it should be ashamed of what took place here today,” Ebony said.
The woman told the court that her family’s business was “flourishing,” and she can appeal the case which will be given “worldwide” coverage by international media.
She accused the State and the Police of conducting a “crooked” investigation and said her family is yet to receive justice.
However, Ebony’s statements were not well received by Justice Kissoon, who criticized her for making slanderous and defamatory statements while using the window of a victim impact statement.
Justice Kissoon said it is not fair for a person to “vomit on every office within a nation state when sitting from afar.”
“I am disappointed that, that is going to be used to attack this nation, its leaders’ offices of every department and institution with a brush that they are unworthy and undeserving of. And what is being used as justification for uttering these statements are a series of qualifications that the speaker deems entitles her to form these opinions to arrive at these conclusions and to impose them upon these proceedings,” the Judge said.
In his sentencing remarks the Judge considered the methodical torture of the victims and the extreme cruelty, violence and human degradation at the hands of the accused and others.
Justice Kissoon pointed out that the crime was a “murder for hire” and the accused had stated in his statement that he was hired by the brother of the hotel owner.
He pointed out that the Police are in possession of sufficient information to extradite the suspect to stand trial in Guyana.
Justice Kissoon highlighted the severity of the violence inflicted on the victims, with severed toes and feet. He stated that some of the toes were removed while the victims were still alive, based on the government pathologist’s testimony.
Considering the brutality and cruelty involved, Durgean was sentenced to life without parole for the two murders.
The badly decomposed bodies of Narpatty and Persaud were discovered on December 27, 2019, at the Sunsplash Holiday Beach Resort.
Ranks from the Major Crimes Unit of the Guyana Police Force made a breakthrough in the case after they arrested several persons.
The News Room previously reported that Narpatty was on vacation in Guyana and was staying at the resort, which he once operated. The business was no longer functioning, and his relatives said it was his intention to renovate the facility.
Police revealed that Narpatty was found dead with two toes from his left foot severed; one was seen next to his body and the other was not located.
Persaud was found 15 feet away from Narpatty’s body. Both hands were tied behind the back and onto a post in the balcony; the right foot was also bound to the said post with a rope. The left foot was completely severed from the ankle.
Both bodies were in a highly decomposed state.
Disgusting for the Judge to utter his opinions against those expressed by the victim/owner’s daughter.
It is as if no one knows what goes on in Guyana in the various departments of government and the runaround
for information. Perhaps too, judge Kissoon has never experienced such a horrific incident in his life losing a family under the circumstances as described here. Shame on the judge. He is the judge in this case,not a judge of other’s opinions- especially the victim’s daughter.