Woman admits killing husband

Hilary Narine, 36, of Toco Main Road, Salybia in Matura was charged with the April 5, 2004 murder of Solomon Narine and was scheduled to go on trial. However, when the matter came up before Justice Anthony Carmona at the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court yesterday — exactly one day before the second anniversary of the day she chopped her husband to death — Narine entered a guilty plea to the lesser count of manslaughter.

The prosecution’s evidence revealed that when the police arrived on the scene some time after she called them, the emotional woman screamed “I can’t take it no more, I had to kill him.”

The court heard that at approximately 4.30 pm on the fateful day, Narine and her 39-year-old husband reportedly had a dispute over a chicken, shortly after they had returned home from Sangre Grande.

Narine left the house and went to his friend Bernard Jeremiah’s home where he stayed for about 45 minutes. On returning home, Narine’s mother-in-law — who lived nearby — heard him cursing and quarrelling and she threatened to call the police. She reportedly went to the house and saw her son-in-law waving a knife.

Shortly afterwards, he again left the house, this time to buy cigarettes. When he returned, the cursing and quarrelling resumed.

At about 10 pm that same evening, Mrs Narine went to her mother’s house and admitted to killing her husband. She called the Matura Police Station and a party of officers headed by Sgt John Ramdeen visited the scene.

She later gave a statement admitting she chopped him twice to the neck with a cutlass, as he slept.

A forensic psychology report described Narine’s history of accumulated provocation as “Battered Wife Syndrome.” Narine will re-appear before Justice Carmona on April 24, when her attorney Hayden Sinclair Douglas, will make a mitigation plea.

The State was represented by attorneys Nalini Singh and Candia James.

(See Page 7 Story)