Georgetown, Guyana – The Court of Appeal has reduced the life sentence of a Berbice man convicted of raping a 69-year-old woman to 25 years in prison, citing proportionality in sentencing as the basis for its decision. The ruling, handed down on Wednesday, has sparked discussions about justice and sentencing standards in cases involving heinous crimes.
Marino Corbis, 42, was convicted in 2018 for the brutal assault, which occurred during a home invasion on November 16, 2016. The victim, who had known Corbis since his childhood and regarded him almost as a son, testified that he entered her home at knifepoint and subjected her to a horrifying 30-minute ordeal. Despite his denials during the trial, Corbis was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Berbice High Court.
In his appeal, Corbis challenged both the conviction and the sentence, arguing that the trial judge’s summation to the jury was unfairly weighted against him and that the life sentence was excessively harsh. While the appellate court upheld his conviction, it agreed that the original sentence was disproportionate given regional sentencing standards and recent rulings by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
The panel of appellate judges—Acting Chancellor Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justices Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud—acknowledged several aggravating factors in their decision. These included the severity of the assault, Corbis’s use of a weapon, the emotional trauma inflicted on the elderly victim, and the breach of trust inherent in the crime. However, they also noted mitigating factors such as Corbis’s lack of prior convictions and inconsistencies in forensic evidence presented during his trial.
The court emphasized that sentencing must balance punishment with proportionality and consistency across similar cases. Referring to regional precedents, it concluded that a term of 25 years’ imprisonment would be more appropriate under the circumstances. Credit will be given for time already served by Corbis prior to and following his trial.
The decision has reignited debates about sentencing practices in Guyana’s judicial system, particularly in cases involving sexual violence. While some have welcomed the reduction as a step toward standardized sentencing protocols, others view it as insufficient given the gravity of the crime.
As Guyana continues to refine its legal framework for addressing sexual violence and other serious offenses, this case underscores the challenges of balancing justice for victims with fairness in sentencing for offenders.
