Gun-toting rapist to know fate on Thursday
Kaieteur News – High Court Judge, Priya Sewnarine Beharry on Thursday will hand down her sentence to 34-year-old Ronald Armstrong called “Sargie” who stands convicted of rape and burglary charges.
Back in 2013, Armstrong had broken into a young woman’s home, pointed a gun to her six-month-old baby and raped her until she became unconscious. In June, a mixed 12-member jury unanimously found Armstrong guilty of sexually penetrating the then 20-year-old woman without her consent on January 22, 2013. He was also found guilty of using a gun to rob the young woman of a quantity of gold jewellery, two laptop computers and two television sets.
On the last hearing, Dr. Menawattie Rajkumar a forensic psychiatrist told the court that Armstrong showed no remorse for his action and after evaluating him, she found that he has a personality trait where manipulation stands out.
Last Thursday, the victim impact statement was read before Justice Sewnarine-Beharry in the Sexual Offences Court of the High Court in Demerara. According to that statement, the victim blamed herself for years for what Armstrong had done to her. The victim noted in her statement that a piece of her died that night.
It was stated that the woman recalled the night she was raped when Armstrong broke into her home robbed her and then proceeded to rape her, pointing a gun at her baby. The victim noted that she is thankful that her child was too young to remember what occurred that night.
According to the State’s case, on the day in question the victim was at home with her baby, and sister, who were sleeping, while she was in the bathroom. While there she felt a cold object on her neck and upon turning around she came face-to-face with Armstrong who was armed with a gun and in the company of two other men. The court heard that Armstrong demanded gold from the woman and threatened to harm her baby if she did not comply. The woman handed over several pieces of gold jewellery which she was wearing at the time, along with some which were stored in a cabinet.
Armstrong then led the woman into her bedroom where he ordered her to lie on her bed before raping her. After raping the woman, Armstrong and the other men escaped with the gold jewellery, a television set and laptop computers. In Armstrong’s address to the court he contended that he is innocent of the offence and asked the judge, “I kindly ask you to let me go back into society.”
In a plea of mitigation, Armstrong’s lawyer, Everton Singh-Lammy stated that his client is young, a modeled prisoner, can be reintegrated into society and had to endure child labour. Notably, Armstrong was granted high court bail for the offence. However, while on bail he committed an armed robbery and is currently serving a four year sentence for that crime.
Representing the state in this matter are: prosecutors Cicelia Corbin, Caressa Henry and Paneeta Persaud. One of the prosecutors reminded the court that a person’s home is their sanctuary, the fact that a gun was used to insight fear into the woman as Armstrong pointed the gun at the woman’s baby. It was also stated that Armstrong placed his penis into the woman’s mouth, anus and then into her vagina. He raped her until she became unconscious. On July 7, at 09:00hrs, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry will sentence Armstrong.
