80 years for Bagotville wife killer
Jan 30, 2018 , https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...otville-wife-killer/
An unremorseful Miguel Barker was yesterday jailed for 80 years after being convicted of killing his wife Donessa Barker on April 30, 2015 at Inner Bagotville, West Bank Demerara. The custodial sentence was handed down by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown.
Prosecutors Tiffini Lyken and Abigail Gibbs appeared for the State. Barker was represented by Attorney-at-Law Maxwell McKay in association with Sherise Dowding.
Jailed for 80 years: Miguel Barker called Allan
In a plea of mitigation, McKay told the court that his client is a very religious person and father of one. However, even after being found guilty, Barker, also known as Allan, maintained his innocence.
Barker eventually told the court, “I am sorry for whatever happened.”
Justice Singh started the sentence at a base of 60 years. The judge added on 10 years, stating that the killing was premeditated. He also added on another 10 years for its domestic violence nature.
Donessa Barker, 28, also called ‘Nabine’, collapsed on the front stairs of her friend’s Lot 21, Inner Bagotville home at around 16.00 hrs after sustaining at least six stab wounds to her neck, left side and other parts of her body. She died at the scene even as her friend, Shaneiza Clarke, tried to resuscitate her and get the mortally wounded woman to a hospital.
According to reports, Miguel Barker fled the scene after fatally stabbing his spouse.
He was nabbed about a week after while job hunting in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.
Shaneiza Clarke was the prosecution’s star witness. She testified that the couple was always in the habit of “cussing” and hitting each other. She pointed out that she heard Miguel Barker threaten to kill his wife on several occasions.
Testifying via Skype from Suriname, Clarke told the court that she once lived in the same house with Miguel Barker and his wife.
According to Clarke, on the day in question at around 15:30hrs, she was awakened by her step sister Jovanna Frank. She told the court that she woke up Donessa Barker who came over to her bedroom. The witness recounted that some time after she received a cell phone call and went to accompany her step sister and Barker on the front verandah.
She said that Donessa Barker had inquired from her step sister about what type of music she had in her phone. Clarke recounted that Barker told Frank that she was going to uplift her phone from her bedroom. She added, “Donessa left the landing (verandah) and walked towards her room. All I hear is Oh God! Shaneiza come now.”
Clarke recalled that she armed herself with a cutlass she retrieved from under her bedroom and walked towards Donessa Barker’s bedroom. According to the witness, she saw Miguel Barker stooping at the window in Donessa Barker’s room. She said that the man turned around and looked at her, before she saw Donessa Barker standing at the bedroom door with blood pouring down her face. She said that Miguel Barker jumped through the window and escaped.
Victim: Donessa Barker
“He (Miguel) was wearing a white jersey with a black security pants. I see she (Donessa) panting for breath. I see blood shooting out from her neck and her hands. I shake she and tell she stay with me, I going and get help.”
Clarke recounted that the previous night – April 29, 2015 – she and Donessa Barker had heard footsteps coming from the bushes after returning home from attending a wake, at around 23:00hrs. She added that the electricity in her home went out, causing her to peep through a hole in the wall from where she saw that lights were on in her neighbour’s home. She said that when she looked out the window she saw Miguel Barker standing about 10 feet from her home, smoking a cigarette.
She recalled telling persons to take Barker to the police station, but he eventually dropped a knife he was holding and began walking away. Clarke said that she subsequently took Donessa Barker to La Grange Police Station. She said that they also lodged a report about Miguel Barker’s abusive behaviour.