Former prison officer given life jail term for murdering his wife in Guyana

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – A High Court judge Tuesday sentenced a former prison officer to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of murdering his wife. She had been stabbed on the New Amsterdam Psychiatric Hospital compound in 2016.

Justice Sandil Kissoon sitting at the Berbice High Court, also ruled that Sheldon Prince would only be considered for parole after 30 years in prison.

On February 14, Prince pleaded guilty to the capital offense of murder which alleged that on December 28, 2016, in the county of Berbice, he murdered Lonnette Prince.

The court was told that Sheldon, armed with a knife, barged into the New Amsterdam Psychiatric Hospital compound where his wife worked as a hairdresser and stabbed her numerous times.

During Prince’s sentencing hearing on Tuesday, the High Court was told that Prince’s father was abusive to his mother, and they eventually separated. Prince told the probation officer that this caused him to become depressed and have developmental health challenges.

The probation officer further told the court that Prince was emotionally and psychologically affected by his parent’s separation and eventually left school at 16 years.

In the probation report, the High Court was told that Prince’s relationship with his wife was “one of love” but was later filled with turmoil, accusing her of being promiscuous and unfaithful.

After separating from his wife, he said he was denied access to his daughter by his wife, who became hostile toward him. Prince said that his actions were not deliberate but provoked by his wife’s infidelity and her promiscuous lifestyles during their marriage.

Prince said he was “embarrassed, humiliated, surprised and disappointed when he learned of her promiscuity.”

But the victim’s parents said that during the couple’s marriage, their daughter had indicated to them and her siblings that Prince was abusing her. She subsequently secured a protection order granted on November 5, 2016.

The couple’s nine-year-old daughter was also interviewed as part of the probation report, and it was related that she cries whenever she thinks of her mother, especially at nights when she goes to bed or watches cartoons.

“All I wanted to do was to be a father to my child,” Prince said, telling the High Court that his wife’s parents were constantly interfering with his relationship.

But as he imposed the sentence,  Justice Kissoon said that domestic violence continues to “rampage” society and that a person who commits such crimes cannot look to the court for “clemency and mercy.”

The judge said that the murder was a “cold-blooded and premeditated” crime, a “diabolical and murderous” act carried out by Prince, who fatally stabbed his wife 15 times.

Justice Kissoon said that Prince’s plea was a “tactical maneuver” and that no credit would be given to him. He also needed to deter like-minded offenders from committing the “abominable crime.”