Berbice, Guyana — Nearly five years after the brutal killing of 21-year-old mother of two, Vanessa Benjamin, Justice Sandil Kissoon has sentenced 29-year-old Jamal Angus to 22 years in prison for manslaughter. The sentence was delivered in the High Court in Berbice after Angus pleaded guilty to the lesser count, having initially been charged with murder.
The fatal incident occurred on April 16, 2020, at Itacha Village, where Benjamin was staying with her mother. Earlier that day, Angus attempted to convince Benjamin to resume their four-year common-law relationship. She refused, telling him the relationship was over. Enraged, Angus armed himself with a knife and stabbed her 17 times. Benjamin’s 56-year-old mother was also injured as she tried to assist her daughter but survived the attack.
Benjamin was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. A post-mortem examination later confirmed that multiple stab wounds had punctured her heart and lungs.
After the attack, Angus attempted to take his own life but survived and was later taken into police custody. He was remanded since his first court appearance in 2020 at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court.
During sentencing, Justice Kissoon pointed to a series of aggravating circumstances, stressing the “extreme and unrestrained violence” used during the attack. He highlighted that Angus unlawfully entered the home and deliberately concealed his intentions before launching the assault.
The court also cited reports describing Angus as a habitual abuser, a factor that further weighed against him. Justice Kissoon underscored the enduring trauma inflicted on Benjamin’s loved ones, particularly her young children who must now grow up without their mother.
The judge’s remarks echoed a broader call to confront Guyana’s persistent crisis of domestic violence and to strengthen protections for vulnerable individuals across the country.
