A Venezuelan national convicted of manslaughter in connection with the 2020 killing of a young man at Anna Catherina was released from custody on Wednesday after the High Court ruled that he had already served his sentence while on remand.
Nestor Luis Bolivar Martinez, known as “Spanish Boy,” admitted to the fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Sanjay Hanoman during an altercation in October 2020.
Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh accepted Martinez’s guilty plea to manslaughter and, after considering mitigating factors, determined that the time he had already spent in custody satisfied the sentence imposed.
In sentencing remarks, Justice Singh identified a starting point of 18 years’ imprisonment for the offence but applied a series of deductions that substantially reduced the term.
The judge granted a one-third reduction for Martinez’s early guilty plea, along with additional reductions for positive probation and social enquiry reports, expressions of remorse, and the court’s finding that the deceased played a role in provoking the incident.
No aggravating factors were applied, resulting in a final sentence of three years.
As Martinez has been incarcerated since his arrest in 2020, the court ordered his immediate release. Justice Singh observed that the evidence indicated the deceased contributed significantly to the events that led to his death.
The fatal incident occurred late on October 25, 2020, during a confrontation between the two men. Hanoman was stabbed and later pronounced dead at the Leonora Cottage Hospital in the early hours of the following morning.
A post-mortem examination revealed that he died from haemorrhage and shock caused by a deep stab wound to the thigh, which severed major blood vessels. Alcohol was also found in his system.
During sentencing submissions, the prosecution urged the court to impose a custodial sentence, pointing to the use of a knife and the emotional impact on the victim’s family.
The defence, however, argued that Martinez acted under provocation, had no intention to kill, and showed genuine remorse.
Martinez addressed the court to apologise to Hanoman’s family. The matter was initially heard in the Leonora Magistrate’s Court before being committed to the High Court for trial.
The prosecution at the High Court included attorney-at-law Christopher Belfield.
