East Canje man found guilty of setting son alight

Apr 14, 2017 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

The East Canje man who is on trial for setting his son alight has been found guilty on one of

Guilty: Devindra Somawaru

two counts.
Devindra Somwaru, 35, of 133 Gangaram, East Canje, Berbice, a field foreman attached to the Rose Hall Estate, was on trial before Justice James Bovell-Drakes and a mixed jury in the Berbice High Court.
Yesterday he was found guilty on an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. This was after the jury had returned with a verdict of not guilty on the count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder.
Justice Bovell Drakes then ordered a probation report which will be presented to the court on May 10.
The man, who was out on bail, conducted his own defence. After the jury returned with the verdict he did not show any remorse and was subsequently handcuffed and taken away.
Justice Bovell Drakes had earlier taken just over two and a half hours to sum up the trial to the jury, after which they retired to consider their decision. The jury then took about 45 minutes to return with their unanimous verdict. The prosecution’s case was presented by attorney Orinthia Schmidt.
Somwaru had been accused of causing grievous bodily harm on his son on Thursday May 7, 2015. He was on trial with intent to murder; and the alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
The act was committed on his 11 year old son Ricky Somwaru, who was a student of the Port Mourant Primary School.
According to information the man and his son lived alone. The child had earlier lived with his mother, but after some infractions he was sent to live with his father following a report by the Childcare and Protection Agency and a meeting with both parents.
The court heard that the man and his son were allegedly at home, where the elder Somwaru was drinking. He attempted to leave to purchase more alcoholic beverages, but was stopped by his son. The man insisted on going and his son held on to him.
As a result he got hold of some methylated spirits and threw it about the child’s body and lit a match causing him to receive burns.
The child was rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was admitted for emergency treatment, before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital the following day, where he was admitted for further treatment. He had injuries to his entire body. His mouth could not close and his neck was also tilted.
He was subsequently taken to the USA on August 31, 2015, where he was admitted to the Shriners Hospitals for Children-Boston Burns Hospital in Massachusetts, USA.
Although he underwent a number of surgical procedures, he still needs to undergo a lot more corrective surgery, with yearly visits to the hospital overseas.
Among those called to testify were the child and his mother Shanta Bridgepaul, Police Detective Corporal Lynch, neighbour Ravendra Singh and Social worker Roxanne Pedro, attached to the Burns Care Unit of the GPHC.

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