WESTERN BUREAU:
Andre ‘Killy Killy’ DeSouza, a Jamaican man who was arrested on gun-related charges and an immigration violation in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), was sentenced to seven years in prison by TCI’s Supreme Court on Tuesday.
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force were investigating an incident in which DeSouza had reportedly inflicted knife wounds on another man.
On September 21, 2022, when they were about to apprehend DeSouza, he pulled a firearm on them.
The police still managed to take him into custody and retrieved the firearm – a loaded Taurus Millennium G2 9mm pistol with its serial number erased.
He was charged with possession of the firearm and the ammunition linked to the weapon.
At the time of his arrest on the gun charge, DeSouza was on bail for a 2020 wounding with intent charge following a stabbing incident. That matter is believed to be drug-related.
After that second arrest, it was discovered that he had overstayed his time on the island by more than three years, and he was slapped with the immigration violation charge.
At his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, the TCI Supreme Court noted that the offences were serious. It handed DeSouza a seven-year sentence for carrying a firearm, seven years for the ammunition, and two months’ imprisonment for overstaying leave to remain in the country. The sentences will run concurrently.
The court stipulated that, at the completion of his sentence, DeSouza is to be deported to Jamaica.
Efforts by The Gleaner to ascertain whether DeSouza was on the police’s radar in Jamaica proved futile.
Superintendent Dean Holden, the crime, safeguarding, public protection and intelligence officer for the TCI police, expressed gratitude for the professionalism and dedication of the officers who were involved in putting together the case to convict DeSouza.
DeSouza escaped a 12-year sentence, as the legislative amendment to increase the maximum sentence for gun convictions from seven to 12 years was made after he was charged.
adrian.frater@gleanerjm.com
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