Wife-killer
who stabbed wife 17 times for ‘infidelity’
Jailed
for 15 years yesterday
By George Barclay
JUSTICE James Bovell-Drakes, who imposed a 15-year prison sentence on
ex-Cop, manslaughter accused Kurt Wong, for the unlawful killing of his wife
Rhonda Wong, told the 37-year old prisoner:
Kurt Wong
“I
have arrived at the decision that you have to be incarcerated for a
protracted period. I do hope that during this period that the authorities at
the prison will ensure that you have therapy to ensure that you develop the
ability to attend the challenges of life with greater serenity after you
would have paid your dues to society.
Sam-Ram-Sukhai-suicide
Jagdeep-attempts-suicide
Simone-SG-murdered
“In
the circumstances of this, I am of the view that you be incarcerated for a
period of 15 years. Your release will take place at a stage when most of
your four children will be beyond the age of majority. I do hope that you
will be able to interact with them before they enter into matrimony and
undertake the challenges of adulthood. I hope that you use the period of
incarceration to reflect constantly on what your life has become and what
you could and would have been able to do for your children but for your
irresponsible, unreasonable and senseless conduct . I do hope that during
that period you do resolve to correct your view of and your approach to life
and not to reconsider such a course of conduct for the remainder of your
life.
Prosecutors
Prithima Kissoon and Dianna Boyan conducted the case for the prosecution at
which the accused, indicted for the offence of murder, pleaded guilty to the
lesser offence of manslaughter on 21st May, 2009.
Man
knifed his
wife to death and later claimed that she was unfaithful and had a secret
lover.
The
facts of the case disclosed that the accused, on March 4, 2005, knifed his
wife to death and later claimed that she was unfaithful and had a secret
lover.
The
accused, who was originally charged with murder, pleaded not guilty to the
capital charge but guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter which was
accepted by the prosecution.
Defence
counsel Joan Ward-Mars, in association with Liza Maria Hanoman from the
Linden Legal Aid Centre, in a stirring plea in Mitigation, told the court
that the accused was a father of 4 who was
subjected to hardships due to the infidelity of his wife. She urged the
judge to give the accused, who was a caring man , the opportunity to look
after his children.
She
pleaded, “Your Honour, it is respectfully submitted that the facts of this
case concerning the defendant’s state of mind at the time of the incident
are consistent with the psychological condition recognised by courts
worldwide and known as “battered person syndrome”, which has repeatedly
been used to support a finding of diminished responsibility or to negative
responsibility altogether for felonious or homicidal violence.
“Battered
person syndrome may be described as a series of common characteristics that
appear in persons who are physically, psychologically abused over an
extended period of time by their mate,
or someone who owes that person a special duty of concern and respect.”
Among
other things, Probation Officer Floyde Rudder said that in 1998, the accused
joined the Guyana Police Force and left after three years and immediately
thereafter proceeded into the interior of
Guyana as a miner. After six weeks, he returned to Linden since his exploits
in the interior proved futile and engaged himself in the construction
industry as a labourer; but the availability of jobs in this
field was seasonal and this led the accused to join the Linden Mining
Enterprise Constabulary as a Supernumerary Constable in 1993.
In
conclusion, the Probation Officer said, “ The genesis of this court
proceeding seems to hinge on the problematic situation experienced by both
the accused and the deceased. However, the accused who grew up in a
relatively stable home environment has allowed his emotions to overcome him,
resulting in the loss of life. Although the accused have been a jilted man,
this does not justify his actions; and as an ex-member of one of the
disciplined services, he should have exercised restraint in dealing with
problematic situations.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009