‘Cobra’ gets 78 years

By Zena Henry
Twenty-one-year-old Tyrone Rowe called ‘Cobra’ was yesterday sentenced to 78 years imprisonment by a High Court judge following a guilty verdict returned after four hours deliberation by a 12-member mixed jury.  Rowe, who appeared confident, sang that he would be freed, even as he was being escorted back to the courtroom under heavy security. Rowe was however visibly shocked when he heard that the jury unanimously found him guilty.

Tyrone ‘Cobra’ Rowe

The accused, whose address was given as Lot 268 Independence Boulevard, was said to be one of the men involved in a robbery/murder which took place in the East Coast Demerara community of Plaisance, in 2010.
Justice Navindra Singh told Rowe that based on the use of a firearm during the robbery he would get five years, for the death of the victim, Troy Collymore called ‘Collie’ and ‘Nelly’ during the course of a dangerous felony, he received 10 years. For previous criminal matters, Rowe got three years, while the remainder of the sentence was attributed to Collymore’s murder.
The court noted, however, that Rowe’s sentences will not run concurrently.
State Prosecutor Teshana Lake told the court that Rowe had other matters against him, particularly robbery under arms. She said she is aware that the accused is currently serving two sentences. The four-day murder trial saw some nine witnesses testifying on behalf of the prosecution. This included the mother of the deceased and a police eyewitness who placed the accused at the scene of the crime. Constable Neil Thornhill testified that at Victoria Road, Plaisance, there was a shooting by armed robbers resulting in the death of Collymore.
He told the court that the victim had been shot by a fair-skinned gang-member. The officer later identified Rowe who was seated in dock after stating that he was one of the men who committed the robbery. Attorney for the accused, Hookumchand, had asked the officer under cross-examination, and he admitted that apart from the gun which the fair-skinned man used to kill the victim, he could not say whether the other guns held by the other robbers were real.
The officer said further that he attended an Identification Parade at the Brickdam Police Station where he picked out Rowe among eight half-naked men on parade. The witness also noted that the men on parade were dressed alike, but told the court that he had identified the “right man.”
Chandrika Datt told the court that on the day of the incident he was in front of his pharmacy with Collymore and an overseas-based friend when someone came to purchase something from his business place. Datt said that upon raising his head, someone pointed a gun in his direction while approaching. The individual then relieved him of his jewellery and two bags he had in his possession.
He said that at the time, Collymore was standing in front of the pharmacy when he was lashed in the face with a gun. The witness recalled hearing two sets of gunshots. He remembered one of his friends calling for him, saying that he had been hurt. When heading in the direction of his wounded friend, he then saw Collymore’s motionless body.
He said further that when he attended the identification parade in September of 2010, Rowe was not the man that he picked out.
Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh had also given a testimony on the victim’s cause of death. He said that Collymore was shot in the head and would have died immediately.
In an unsworn statement, Rowe told the court that he was innocent of the offence and that he was not at the scene during the 2010 robbery.
Several days after, Rowe, 17 at the time, surrendered to police in 2010, they instituted four charges ranging from murder to damage of property. He had prior to that found himself on a list of Guyana’s most wanted. Heavily handcuffed and shackled, Rowe had made his appearance before then Acting Chief Magistrate, Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
He was charged for Collymore’s murder and was accused of robbing Mark Hunte on May 16, 2010, of articles valued $160,000. A third charge stated that Rowe, armed with a gun, robbed Troy Collins, of gold and diamond jewellery valued $1.4M.
He was further accused of damaging one mirror at the Brickdam Police Station on September 4, 2010.
A $1M reward had been offered for information leading to Rowe’s arrest.
Rowe is one of the first persons found guilty of murder given an alternative sentencing since legislation against the death penalty was changed. Two years earlier, the accused would have been sentenced to death.

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