Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh has sentenced Randy Tafari Smith, 27, a labourer formerly of West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, to 32 years’ imprisonment for the 2021 murder of Nico Layne, known as “Daddy”.
The sentence was handed down in the High Court in Demerara after Smith admitted to his role in the killing. The court ordered that the period he spent on remand be deducted from the prison term.
In arriving at the sentence, the judge adopted a starting point of 36 years before deducting one-third, or 12 years, for Smith’s guilty plea. The court also considered mitigating and aggravating factors, including expressions of remorse, the devastating impact on the victim’s family, and the brutality of the attack, ultimately arriving at a sentence of 32 years.
Court documents revealed that Layne, 26, of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was killed on March 28, 2021, following a violent pursuit through Georgetown that ended on Leopold Street.
According to an agreed statement of facts presented to the court, Smith and others chased Layne through several city streets before cornering him. Smith was armed with a cutlass approximately 22 inches long, while another participant, Osafi Johnson, carried a knife. A female companion was also reportedly armed with a cutlass.
The court heard that Layne had been liming with friends earlier that day before leaving the area. Hours later, he was seen fleeing from his attackers. Witnesses recounted that after he fell to the ground on Leopold Street, Smith caught up with him and repeatedly chopped him.
State prosecutors described the attack as particularly savage. A post-mortem examination found that Layne sustained 17 incised wounds caused by chopping and stabbing injuries. The cause of death was given as haemorrhage and shock due to multiple wounds.
In sentencing submissions, prosecutors urged the court to take into account the extreme violence involved in the attack. The State also highlighted CCTV footage which captured portions of the pursuit and events surrounding the killing.
The court also considered victim impact statements from Layne’s relatives, who detailed the profound emotional and psychological toll his death had taken on the family.One relative recalled receiving the devastating news during the night and described how family members struggled to cope with the loss. The court heard that an aunt who helped raise Layne later died after being unable to overcome the grief caused by his death.
A probation report presented on Smith’s behalf outlined a difficult upbringing following the loss of both parents during his childhood. The report also noted that while on remand, he participated in rehabilitation programmes, including anger management and family reconciliation sessions, and expressed remorse for his actions.
Nevertheless, the court found that the seriousness of the offence, the sustained nature of the attack and its impact on the victim’s family warranted a substantial custodial sentence.With the sentence now imposed, Smith will serve the remainder of the 32-year term, less the time already spent on remand awaiting the conclusion of the matter.
Smith’s sentencing follows that of co-accused Osafi Johnson, who was previously sentenced to 32 years’ imprisonment after admitting to his role in Layne’s murder.
