New sentencing date for killers

Phillip “The Boss” Boodram, of Dow Village, California; Roger Mootoo, of Springvale Village, Claxton Bay; Ricky Singh, of Cedar Hill Road, Claxton Bay; Kervin Williams and Aaron “Arc Eye” Grappie, both of Pranz Gardens, Claxton Bay, were not sentenced yesterday, as probation officers’ reports and bio-social reports from the prison authorities, are not yet completed. Justice Norton Jack assured that every attempt will be made to have the reports expedited before he sentences the men. The matter will now be heard on April 28. The five were convicted on the lesser count of manslaughter following a trial which lasted two years in the Port-of-Spain High Court. They were found not guilty of murder, for which they were indicted.

It was the third trial for the five after previous trials in 2009 and 2012, resulted in hung juries after no unanimous verdict could be reached. The third trial began in September 2015 and ended in March.

In 2009, Vivian “Clarkie” Clarke, 36, Steve “Boops” McGilvery, 27, and Pernell Martin, 29, who were also on trial for Rampersad’s murder were sentenced to 30 years each for their role in kidnapping and killing her. Bobby Sankar was freed and Boodram and the rest were ordered to face a new trial.