More than two decades after brutally stabbing his common-law wife to death as she held their baby in her arms, 57-year-old Philbert Thomas was on Thursday sentenced to 24 years in prison by Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Demerara High Court. Thomas, who had spent over 20 years evading justice, pleaded guilty to the 1998 murder. His sentencing was deferred from Monday to allow for the presentation of a psychiatric evaluation.

The forensic psychiatric report revealed no signs of mental illness or delusion and noted that Thomas was “oriented, co-operative and expressed deep remorse” for his actions. However, it also highlighted a long-standing problem with alcohol abuse. Reports are that in September of 1998, Thomas, called “Gilbert Thomas,” was at a fun day in the Kwabanna village, Region One (Barima-Waini,) when he allegedly stabbed his reputed wife, Viola Thomas, to death at the community centre ground. According to police, the stabbing incident was witnessed by over 100 persons, but as soon as Thomas allegedly stabbed Viola’s, he ran away from the scene before anyone could apprehend him. He went into hiding and was not seen by persons in that area. It was reported that Thomas and Viola had been involved in a relationship for years prior to the stabbing incident. The now dead woman had also mothered his children. The file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice and investigators were told to arrest and charge Thomas for the murder of the woman, but police ranks could not locate the man.

More violence
Just days later, Thomas was slapped with two felonious wounding charges committed on his ex-lover, Dally Gobin, and Leaymond Smith, her male companion. It was reported that on the day in question, the victims were imbibing alcohol at Gobin’s house when the suspect showed up without an invitation.
This resulted in a heated argument among them. The argument however turned into a scuffle and it was at this time that the suspect whipped out a knife and stabbed Gobin. He then turned his attention to Smith and stabbed him once before escaping the scene.
The couple were taken to the Kwakwani Hospital where they were treated and referred to the Linden Hospital Complex, where they were admitted but subsequently discharged. Thomas was arrested while hiding out at a camp in Hururu Backlands and was subsequently charged.
It was after this story had been published in the media in 2019 that persons who had witnessed the murder 21 years ago contacted the police. The man, after being arrested, admitted to the police that he had murdered Viola because she had been “unfaithful” to him.

Prosecutor and defence arguments
During mitigation, Defence Attorney Ronald Bostwick urged the court to take into account the challenges of Thomas’s early life. Bostwick said Thomas’s dependence on alcohol led to “periods of irrational and belligerent behaviour,” and contended that the killing stemmed from a mix of jealousy and immaturity. Bostwick asked the court to consider a sentence that would not “shatter whatever hope remains” for Thomas, while acknowledging that his client was not seeking sympathy or leniency.
But State Prosecutor Tanisha Saygon called for a stiff penalty, underscoring the particularly vicious nature of the attack.
“This was not just murder – it was an act of cruelty in its most intimate form,” Saygon said. “The victim was a young mother, cradling her infant, and she never saw the attack coming.” Saygon also revealed that Thomas had a prior conviction for felonious wounding of another woman, a fact she said demonstrated a “pattern of violent behaviour against women.” She urged the court to hand down a sentence that reflects not only the gravity of the crime, but also the message that violence in domestic settings will not be tolerated.

Ruling
In her ruling, Justice Morris-Ramlall described the killing as a devastating breach of trust.
“She was just 23 years old – young, with her whole life ahead of her – and he was the man she trusted most,” the Judge said. “And yet, instead of walking away when he suspected infidelity, he chose to take her life.” Quoting from a statement Thomas gave to a probation officer – “I killed her because she was cheating on me” – the judge said this showed a dangerous mindset and a sense of entitlement over the woman’s life.
The court heard that Thomas stabbed the woman multiple times while she was holding their baby. Her violent death left three children motherless. Thomas fled and remained in hiding for years, building new relationships while his victim’s family was left to grieve and raise the children without her.
Justice Morris-Ramlall said the court could not ignore the lasting trauma inflicted on the victim’s family, especially her children and described the entire case as “laden with aggravating circumstances.”
While she acknowledged the guilty plea, the judge said the strength of the prosecution’s case meant the plea was “more tactical than remorseful,” and therefore did not warrant the usual one-third reduction in sentence.
According to the probation report, Thomas was seen as a man of “ill repute” in his community, with a continued “propensity for violence.”
“Contrary to what the defence suggested, I found no evidence that this was a tortured man,” the judge said. Justice Morris-Ramlall concluded that the circumstances warranted an uplift in the sentence. As such, Thomas was handed a sentence of 24 years, with eligibility for parole only after serving a minimum of 20 years. The court also ordered that he undergo prison programmes focused on literacy, alcohol management and domestic violence rehabilitation.