…could face up to 4 years in jail
…sentencing postponed to June 13
Embattled Alliance For Change (AFC) Councillor Abel Seetaram was on Wednesday found guilty of felonious wounding by Magistrate Rhondel Weaver at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court.
The case stemmed from a drunken brawl on January 21, 2018 when Seetaram, 36, of Lot 121 B Woodley Park Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB), injured his cousin Netram Rabindranauth.
The prosecution had contended that Seetaram feloniously wounded Rabindranauth, 54, a vendor of Lot 64 A Woodley Park Village.
When the charge was initially filed, Seetaram was released on $100,000 bail.
The AFC Councillor was arrested after he was said to have used a piece of wood to injure Rabindranauth during an altercation after a drinking spree.
Back in January, the victim of the attack had told Guyana Times that he had intervened in an argument and scramble between Seetaram’s son and his son in
Guilty: Abel Seetaram
order to make peace and part them.
Rabindranauth recalled that it was at this point that Seetaram arrived on the scene and dealt him several blows with the piece of wood. Both men took their sons to the Police Station and made reports after which the young men were held for questioning and subsequently released.
Rabindranauth also reported that he had to be taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital after he sustained a broken jaw, fractured nose, and suffered internal bleeding which also saw him being transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.
At the scene of the confrontation, Seetaram, who was reportedly intoxicated, was heard shouting and telling persons who had gathered that no one could do him anything, since he knows “Khemraj” and is a “big boy in the Government”.
Rabindranauth’s son had spoken out on social media against the attack on his father, who he said made his living selling chips.
Following the guilty verdict on Wednesday, the Court is now expected to hand down Seetaram’s sentence on June 13.
Defence counsel Horatio Edmonson in a plea of mitigation asked the Court to exercise mercy and leniency, since the offence carried a maximum sentence of four years’ imprisonment.
A decision was then made to have a probation/welfare report submitted before sentencing took place.
When contacted on Wednesday, Seetaram refused to comment on the decision by
Victim: Netram Rabindranauth
Magistrate Weaver, adding that he has no comment to offer to this media house.
“Just come and see what happens on June 13…just come,” he said.
Seetaram is no stranger to controversy. He was the Special Assistant to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, but was fired from that post after crashing a Government SUV.
Seetaram was found guilty of three charges in relation to that accident on May 8, 2016. He was charged with driving in a dangerous manner. He was also charged with being an unlicensed driver and with breach of insurance.
Seetaram was driving the SUV on the Bath Public Road at a fast pace when he lost control and crashed into a fence, knocking out some of the uprights and damaging several structures at the Bath Market. He also crashed into another fence nearby, causing considerable damage. (Michael Younge)
