The once notorious Tyrone Rowe, also known as ‘Cobra’, was this morning sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge, admitting that he unlawfully killed Troy Collymore.
Rowe, who was initially indicted for the August 5, 2010 murder, opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence during his appearance before Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown.
Rowe also pleaded guilty to an armed robbery charge and was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment. Justice Singh, however, ordered that the 15 and nine years’ sentence run concurrently. This means that Rowe will only serve 15 years behind bars.
The Judge further ordered that the prison authorities deduct from the sentence the time Rowe spent in pre-trial custody.
According to reports, on the day in question, Collymore and two other men were outside a business place at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, when they were attacked by gunmen.
During that time, one of them was shot and relieved of cash and a quantity of jewellery. Collymore was shot to the head and was declared “brain dead” by doctors. He succumbed two days later.
The confessed killer was represented by his attorney, Mark Conway, while the case for the State was presented by Prosecutors Abigail Gibbs, Teriq Mohamed and Tuanna Hardy.
Back in 2013, Rowe, of Albouystown, was found guilty by a jury of Collymore’s murder.
He was jailed for 78 years by the same Justice Singh but shortly after sought an appeal. His appeal was accepted and, in July 2018, the Court of Appeal overturned his conviction and sentencing.
As a result, Rowe’s case was remitted to the High Court for a new trial. However, that trial was aborted and his case was fixed for trial at this session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes which commenced this morning.
