Father of one jailed 23 years over execution-style killing

Jan 25, 2020 News

A 28-year-old father of one was yesterday sentenced to 23 years’ imprisonment for the execution-style killing of Festival City, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown resident, Christopher Wharton, called “Taps.”

MURDER ACCUSED: Brian Mohan

JAILED: Rickford Jones

KILLED: Christopher Wharton

Appearing before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the High Court in Georgetown yesterday was Rickford Jones, formerly of Lot 3093 North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
State Prosecutors Tuanna Hardy, Tiffin Lyken and Nafeeza Baig presented a murder indictment against Jones to which he entered a plea of not guilty. He, however, opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, thereby admitting that on November 18, 2015, he unlawfully killed Wharton. Jones was represented by lawyer, Maxwell McKay.
According to reports, Wharton was shot to his hand, left butt and groin area by gunmen, known to him. It was reported that the dead man’s five-year-old son was hit on his left leg by one of the six shots fired by the men, who left Jones’s home on bicycles. Wharton’s killing was said to be of a drug-related nature.
Another man, Brian Mohan, also known as ‘Abdool,’ was also charged with Wharton’s murder. Following a preliminary inquiry in the Magistrates’ Courts, he was committed to stand trial for the offence.