28-year-old Michael Persaud was this morning sentenced to 15 years and six months’ imprisonment for the December 23, 2011 unlawful killing of his reputed wife, Maduri Padumdeo, called ‘Sharda’, which occurred at their Lot 8 North Sophia, Greater Georgetown home. Persaud, who was in 2014 found guilty of murder and sentenced to 83 years’ imprisonment, had his conviction and sentence overturned by the Court of Appeal which ordered a retrial.
Instead of going through another trial, Persaud called ‘Mikey’ opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter when he was brought before Justice Sandil Kissoon this morning at the High Court in Georgetown. Based on reports, Padumdeo, who was just 19, and sold cane juice, was found naked and dead with a piece of cable tied tightly around her neck in their home. A post mortem examination conducted on the body of the victim revealed that she died of ligature strangulation.
In his address to the court, Persaud begged for leniency and extended an apology to the dead woman’s family. He said that he was under the influence of alcohol when he committed the act. The confessed killer said that he is now working on getting over his past and starting a new life. He added that he is eager to see his son who was just a year old when he was arrested for the murder of his mother. State Prosecutor Tuanna Hardy said that notwithstanding Persaud’s expression of remorse and early guilty plea; a young life was lost due to domestic violence.
The prosecutor emphasized that a young boy is now left without a mother, and a mother without her daughter. While the prosecutor did not press for a harsh sentence, she asked of the court to impose a sentence which would reflect the nature and gravity of the offence. As for Justice Kissoon, he considered the aggravating and mitigating factors in arriving at an appropriate sentence. The Judge, among other things, considered that Persaud was young when he committed the offence and has been making efforts to advance his education
The Judge said that once again the court is confronted with a death arising from a domestic violence situation. From the sentence of 15 years’ and six months, the judge made an order that the prison authorities are to deduct the time Persaud spent in pre trial custody which amounts to 97 months. A report from the prisons revealed that Persaud is an inmate of good behaviour and has never been charged with any prison offences.
A prison officer told the court that Persaud has been attending art and craft as well as Mathematics and English classes.
