10 years later: Montrose man sentenced to life imprisonment for felonious wounding

…four strokes of the whip

A Montrose, East Coast Demerara (ECD) man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for a brutal stabbing that occurred on Boxing Day nearly 10 years ago. Ganesh Dhanraj, also known as “Jango,” was convicted of felonious wounding in the December 26, 2014 attack, which left 20-year-old Clinton Babooram hospitalised, traumatised, and bedridden for weeks.
The sentence, handed down by Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Demerara, followed Dhanraj’s conviction by a jury last month. Although originally charged with attempted murder, the jury returned a guilty verdict on the lesser charge of felonious wounding.

Justice Singh began with a base sentence of 30 years for the crime. However, the court imposed additional time for specific aggravating factors. Four years were added because Dhanraj attempted to mislead the court by providing a false defence, and another five years were added due to the senseless and cruel nature of the attack. This brought Dhanraj’s parole eligibility to 39 years. In addition to the life sentence, the judge ordered that Dhanraj receive four strokes of the whip.
The incident took place outside a rum shop near Babooram’s home in Montrose, ECD. Without any provocation or warning, Dhanraj approached Babooram and stabbed him in the groin with a knife before fleeing the scene. The injury was severe, targeting a critical area containing major blood vessels, which medical experts testified could have resulted in death without immediate treatment.
Babooram was rushed to St Joseph’s Mercy Hospital in Georgetown. Due to a critical shortage of blood, he was transferred to Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he underwent emergency surgery. He had remained hospitalised for over two weeks and was bedridden at home for an extended period afterward.
In court, Babooram’s aunt, Pamela Nauth, read his victim impact statement, offering a detailed account of his physical and emotional trauma.
“When I was stabbed, I almost lost my life,” Babooram recounted in his statement. “My family was told there was nothing more that could be done and that they should come into the Emergency Room to say their goodbyes.”
Babooram also described the lingering psychological impact of the attack: “I still suffer from nightmares, anxiety, and horrific flashbacks. What made it worse was waiting 10 years for justice while seeing the person who did this to me walk freely—even in front of my home.”
His statement urged members of the public to donate blood, emphasising how crucial it was in saving his life.
During mitigation, Dhanraj’s lawyer, Adrian Thompson, pleaded for leniency, citing his client’s previously clean criminal record and his role as the sole provider for his elderly parents and child. Dhanraj himself addressed the court, stating, “Ah begging fuh mercy because ah does maintain my family—my mother and father. Me and them two alone does live. I is the breadwinner for the house. Ah begging fuh mercy yuh honour.”
When asked directly about the crime, Dhanraj added, “Ah sorry fuh wuh happen.”
However, the prosecution, led by attorney Muntaz Ali, highlighted numerous aggravating factors to argue for a strict sentence.
“This was a surprise attack with no provocation or grievance from the victim,” Ali noted. He described the incident as particularly heinous, citing the use of a deadly weapon and the deliberate targeting of a vital area.
Ali also pointed out that Dhanraj fled the scene immediately after the stabbing, providing no assistance to the victim and failing to report the incident. He was apprehended a month later.
The prosecution further detailed Dhanraj’s inconsistent accounts of the incident. During an interview with a probation officer, Dhanraj initially claimed self-defence, but during the trial, he later shifted his stance to an alibi defence, asserting that he was not present at the scene of the crime.
State prosecutor Ali underscored the prevalence of violent, unprovoked crimes during the Christmas season, emphasising that such offences call for sentences that deter not only the offender but also others who might consider similar acts.
“There is a significant number of unjustifiable, serious attacks and unlawful woundings being committed in our society, especially during holidays,” Ali stated.
The case was prosecuted by attorneys Muntaz Ali and Christopher Belfield. (G9)