Sean Luke’s mum despondent over retrial of son’s murder accused

Black Immigrant Daily News

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Pauline Lumfai, mother of murdered six-year-old Sean Luke, tends to her animals near her home at Orange Valley, Couva on Wednesday. Photo by Lincoln Holder

The announcement of a new trial for the men who had their convictions for the 2006 murder of six-year-old Sean Luke overturned, has left his mother dejected.

Pauline Lumfai said she feels like the judicial system has cut open a wound and rubbed salt in it.

She spoke with Newsday on Wednesday at Orange Valley, Couva, home.

“The family is upset because they have to relive it too. It is not my wound alone they opened. I am hurt and angry,” Lumfai said.

“Whatever the outcome of this new trial would not benefit me. The trial took so long – 16 years. Right now, I am remembering the feeling I had in court. My body went through severe shock when I saw my child’s underwear. I relived everything from the day I gave birth to when (Sean died).

On July 23 last year, Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds, in a judge-alone trial, found Akeel Mitchell, 29, and Richard Chatoo, 31, guilty of murdering Sean. At the time of the murder, Mitchell was 13, and Chatoo was 16.

Sean was sexually assaulted and sodomised with a cane stalk in March 2006 in a canefield near his home.

Ramsumair-Hinds sentenced Mitchell to 17 years, six months, and 13 days in prison from the date of conviction. Chatoo was sentenced to 11 years, six months and 13 days.

On Tuesday, almost a year after the convictions, the Appeal Court ordered the retrial citing several errors made the judge in her treatment of the evidence.

“Why can’t these people have mercy on my and my son’s souls. Why do they need to put me through this again? I cannot go through that again.”

“I do not want what happened to Sean to happen to anybody else’s children.”

Newsday met Lumfai as she was tending to her animals near her home.

She said she enjoys caring for the animals. She pointed to the cattle and identified them by names Phoebe, Whiteface, Saddam and Peanuts.

As she caressed them, she said they love her and she loves them.

She also praised her community, saying the people are respectful, compassionate and caring.

“That is a good thing about living here. People always give me pleasant words. They give me courage. I live on their strength.”

Except to go to the supermarkets, she barely leaves her home. She also makes and supplies cat beds for a pet store.

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