Siparia duo plead guilty to 2015 murder, sentenced

TWO men have just under ten years to serve for the New Year’s Eve murder in Siparia in 2015.

Keon “Dougla” Fabien and Dillon “Strongy” Maharaj pleaded guilty to felony murder which resulted in the death of Zwade Taylor on December 31, 2015.

They entered plea-deal discussions with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in April, three months after an indictment was filed. The plea deal was accepted and concluded in July and the two pleaded guilty to felony murder.

They also pleaded guilty to kidnapping and robbing a “PH” taxi driver with aggravation when they appeared before Justice Nalini Singh on September 4.

Singh sentenced Fabien to 18 years for felony murder; six years and eight months for kidnapping and seven years and four months for robbery with aggravation. Maharaj received the same sentence for Taylor’s murder; and six years for kidnapping and six years and eight months for robbery with aggravation.

They both received a one-third discount for their guilty pleas, and the eight years they spent in custody were also deducted from their sentences, leaving them with just under ten years left to serve.

Taylor was shot at Sudama Alley. His brother, Atiba, was at home with his wife and children when his brother stumbled into the living room at about 9 pm. Taylor fell to the ground and gasped for breath in his brother’s arms.

Atiba saw a gunshot wound in his brother’s back and blood was flowing out of his mouth and nose. Emergency personnel were contacted but Taylor died at the Siparia health facility.

Fabian was arrested at Darsan Lane on January 1, after villagers reported a suspicious person in the area. Maharaj was arrested on January 4.

Fabian told police he went along, “going with the flow,” and admitted to shooting a man in the back.

Maharaj said Fabian robbed Taylor, and “had a lil scramble” for the gun before shooting him in the back after Taylor tried to run.

Dasrath was on his last trip to Fyzabad when he was hired by one of the men to go to Siparia.

He said shortly after, two men with bandanas covering their faces jumped out of the bushes and got into the back seat of his car. He was ordered to get into the back seat and one of the men drove them to a lonely road.

Dasrath’s hands and feet were tied with shoelaces and he was left there until he was able to untie his feet and get help to get to the Fyzabad police station. Officers there untied his hands and took him to the Siparia police station, where a report was made.

Police recovered some of the jewellery stolen from Dasrath when they held Fabian.

Fabian was represented by public defenders Whitney Franklin and Shuzvon Ramdass. Michelle Ali and Jeron Paul, also from the Public Defenders’ Department, represented Maharaj.

Rebecca Trim-Wright and Kezia Grey-Birkette represented the DPP’s office.

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