A 19-year prison sentence was today imposed on Trevor Amsterdam who was charged for a November 10, 2015 murder. Amsterdam, 35, was brought to court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to the charge; his trial then commenced before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12 person jury at the High Court in Georgetown. The State, led by Prosecutors Tuanna Hardy, Tiffin Lyken and Nafeeza Baig called several witnesses. Half way through, Amsterdam opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.
Amsterdam admitted that on November 10, 2015, at Lot 34 Norton Street, Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara, he murdered Jermain Simon, who was at the time wanted by police in connection with the murder of 19-year-old Ryan Sooklall. The teen was gunned down in a Providence, East Bank Demerara shop on March 1, 2015, by members of his own gang. He was shot in the back and was pronounced dead at the East Bank Demerara Regional Hospital.
Justice Kissoon accepted the guilty plea from Amsterdam and the trial was discontinued. Based on previous reports, Simon was shot to the forehead by a man and died while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). It was reported that Amsterdam and Simon were embroiled in a feud over a woman, and other gang-related issues. Days after Simon was killed, Amsterdam’s home was destroyed by fire.
