Man pleads guilty to killing his brother

A GASPARILLO man who stabbed his brother to death during a squabble three years ago, yesterday pleaded guilty in the San Fernando High Court to the killing. Baldath Ramsumair, 38, threw himself at the mercy of the court and pleaded guilty before Justice Melville Baird to the lesser count of manslaughter. He killed brother Krishendath on June 15 2001, by stabbing him four times in the chest, after a drinking bout. The court heard that the killing occurred after the brothers quarrelled and fought with each other outside their home at Farnum Village, over allegations of the deceased interfering with Baldath’s possessions. The judge was told that in a statement to homicide detectives, the accused stated after having a few drinks around 6 pm, he went to his home and warned Krishendath not to “interfere with my things.” However, Baldath told police Krishendath began to curse him, then picked up a stone and threw it at him.

It caught him in the eye and, according to Ramsumair, “It started to bleed and I get vex and went inside my house and take up a kitchen knife and stab him about four times.” Another brother, Pulchan, and another man, Hardeo Ramlogan, heard the commotion and rushed to the scene to find Krishendath’s body lying in a drain. State attorney Narissa Ramsundar said the State would accept the plea on the basis of provocation. Ramsundar said the accused did not attempt to escape from police and admitted to detectives that he had killed his brother. A post-mortem on Krishendath’s body, conducted by Dr Hughvon des Vignes, listed the cause of death as a result of a stab wound to the left side of the chest. Attorney Ian Gray, representing Ramsumair, told Justice Baird the accused had no previous convictions. Justice Baird postponed the case to next week Tuesday to allow Gray more time to prepare a plea in mitigation.