A former Presidential Guard, who also once served as a Special Branch officer, was today sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of 21-year-old businessman, Amit Singh back in October 2023.
The convicted criminal, Yogeendra Sukdeo, pleaded guilty last month to the heinous crime. He will only be eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 30 years in jail.
Justice Sandil Kissoon handed down the sentence this morning before a packed Courtroom.
In handing down the sentence, Justice Kissoon said the “horrendous crime of prolonged and pitiless brutality” was committed on someone Sukdeo knew and considered a friend – all for his unjust criminal enrichment. During the commission of the crime, Sukdeo robbed Singh of $8 million.
Justice Singh said it was important to send a strong message to the accused, and persons who may contemplate such criminality, that such action would not be condoned by the Court.
“This is a cold deliberate act of murder in the furtherance of robbery, attended by acts of extreme cruelty and violence to the victim, Amit Singh. The rule of law is, and has always been those who violate the sanctity of human life, threatening the safety and well-being of members of society in the course of their violent criminal activities, motivated by hope of unlawful financial reward, must be prepared to accept the consequences of such conduct in law,” Justice Kissoon said as he handed down the sentence.
In handing down the sentence, the Judge took into consideration a number of aggravating factors. The Judge said Sukdeo in the course of his “willful, planned, and premeditated act of murder, motivated by greed” bludgeon the victim to death, as he alluded to the post-mortem examination report. The report said Singh’s cause of death was blunt trauma to the head, neck and face.
Sukdeo killed Singh in an empty Middle Road, La Penitence house on October 24, 2024 during the course of a robbery. He had intended to conceal the initial crime of robbery.
The young businessman had gone to the house with Sukhdeo to purchase a large quality of gold for his gold trading business. However, once he arrived there, he was attacked, robbed and murdered the friend. Police investigators later arrested Sukdeo in connection with the murder.
After his arrest, Sukdeo led investigators to his home where he handed over $7.7 million and other belongings that he had stolen from his friend.
Inside the courtroom today, Sukhdeo said he remorseful, and repeatedly begged the parents of his victim for forgiveness. According to him, Singh was more than just a friend to him. He said he considered him a brother and wished the crime had never happened.
“I stand before you all with a broken heart and tears in my eyes. There is something I wish to say to everyone in this courtroom, but mostly to the Singh family – Mr. and Mrs. Singh – speaking to you both as a son to a father and a mother; I again seek your forgiveness from the bottom of my heart for everything that caused us to be here today,” Sukdeo said.
Special State Prosecutor Latchmie Rahamat urged the Court to take all of the aggravating factors into consideration, as she read the impact statements from Singh’s parents, and a family.
Rahamat said the murder of the 21-year-old businessman has caused his family and friends much pain and suffering, noting that their lives would never be the same again.
Through the Prosecutor, Singh’s mother told the Court that her son was a very loving, kind and talented young man, who had played the drums at their local mandir before he was snatched from them.
“It is difficult for me to explain the devastating effect his death has had on me. The moment Amit did not answer my calls, I felt the coldness in my heart. My worst fear became a reality when I learnt that my son had been brutally murdered. A part of me died on that day,” the Court heard.
The mother said her son’s death has also taken a toll on his two brothers, and the entire family.
Through the Prosecutor, she called on the Court to consider the lifelong impact that Singh’s murder will have on the family.
While three impact statements were read out in Court, Rahamat said the Court had in its possession many more statements detailing the impact of Singh’s murder on those he loved and knew.
In arriving at the sentence, the Court also considered the probation report, and a report from the prison. His sentence takes into consideration the time that he has already spent behind bars, since being arrested for the murder in October 2023.
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