Kidnapper jailed for 32 years

A 29-year-old kidnapper was sentenced to 32 years hard labour yesterday by Justice Mark Mohammed in the Port-of-Spain Fifth Assizes. 

In sentencing Kellon John, also called Chambers, Justice Mohammed noted that business people were living in fear of kidnappers, literally having to constantly look over their shoulders. The judge said he would send a message to kidnappers that they would not be treated lightly and must expect appropriate punishment for their crime of kidnapping for ransom. On the charge of kidnapping, Justice Mohammed sentenced John to 30 years hard labour and on the charge of assault, two years. Since the two sentences are to run concurrently, John will serve 30 years. Responding to the verdict and sentence, businessman Henry Francis who was kidnapped, and his wife Elizabeth Monroe who paid his ransom, said they got justice and that they were very satisfied with the sentence. Francis agreed that business people are living in fear and said that he was still “jumpy” from his kidnap experience.

Further noting that the victim, businessman Henry Francis, was kept imprisoned for two days and his wife Elizabeth Monroe had to pay a ransom of $170,000 for his release, Justice Mohammed said: “At the scale of aggravating factors, this matter is nearest the top. The offence of   kidnapping for ransom is becoming very  prevalent in this country. Victims are very often reported to be business people. These are people who, by and large, have worked extremely hard for a living, made sacrifices, saved and invested their money to open a business, only to have their personal safety violated. A lot of  them have left the country, some are fearful and live in a virtual prison. The trauma and fear these people experienced are far worse than the physical violence used against them. “Some are prepared to leave our shores. The international reputation of our paradise island and rainbow people has taken a severe blow because of reports of  kidnapping for ransom. This is a severe blow to the tourism industry in our country.

“A message must be sent out  that people who kidnap for ransom will not be treated lightly, and must expect appropriate punishment. Based upon your antecedents, it is quite clear that society must be protected from you.”  John, a father of two children, seven and two years old, of Quash Trace, Sangre Grande, was found guilty after a jury deliberated for only 70 minutes. He was found guilty of kidnapping Francis with the help of four other men on the night of June 9, 2002, close to Francis’ home at Sagramsingh Drive, Quash Road, Sangre Grande. Francis, who operates three jewelry stores with his wife, was kept prisoner for two days and was only released after his wife handed over a ransom of $100,000 in cash and $70,000 in gold. During Francis’ abduction, he was beaten, kicked and tied. John was defended by attorney Rudy James.

According to State prosecutor Bramanan Dubay, John had eight previous convictions, seven of which were for robberies and one for assault. Justice Mohammed explained that the  objective of rehabilitation is to compel a person to come to terms with his character flaws and help him to clear it of its wrinkles. The objective of sentencing is to send a message to society that the court would not treat lightly with matters that are prevalent in society. Two factors of sentencing are the mitigating factor and the compelling factors. He told John that in his case, there are no mitigating factors. He said: “You have eight previous convictions. It is quite clear that you did not learn any lesson from being sent to prison. This clearly shows that the objective of rehabilitation failed in your case and you graduated to more serious and higher offences. “The kidnapping and abduction of Francis was well planned and firearms were used in the crime to instill fear in the victim, and actual physical violence was used against the victim.”