Baramita man sentenced to 12 years for beating wife to death

Dhanraj Theophilus has been sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry after being found guilty of beating to death his 21-year-old common law wife Lorinda Thomas on January 18, 2018 at Barima Line in Baramita, North West District, Region One (Barima-Waini).
The judge has also ordered on Friday that the 53-year-old convict participate in the Guyana Prison Service’s rehabilitative programmes, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) sessions, vocational training, and the family reconciliation programme.

When, in 2018, Theophilus was arraigned before the then Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates Courts, the 47-year-old defendant had not been required to plead to the indictable charge, which had stated that Theophilus had administered a severe beating on Thomas after the two had been embroiled in an argument.
Thomas was said to have been on her way home from visiting family at the time she was approached by Theophilus, and he had allegedly dealt her several kicks to her abdomen, causing her to pass out.
Thomas had managed to make her way home following the beating, and had visited the health centre the following day because she had been experiencing intense abdominal pain. She died that same night, while preparations were being made to fly her to the city for medical attention.
A post-mortem examination conducted by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh at the Matthews Ridge mortuary had found that Thomas had died as a result of haemorrhage and shock due to blunt trauma.