Man found guilty of manslaughter in 2015 Timehri fatal stabbing

After nearly ten years of legal proceedings, 57-year-old Jamal Bacchus of Caledonia, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was on Tuesday found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the 2015 stabbing death of minibus driver Dhanshana Ram.
The unanimous verdict came from a 12-member jury at the Demerara High Court, where the matter was heard before Justice Nareshwar Harnanan.
Bacchus had initially been indicted for murder, but following a year-long Preliminary Inquiry, Magistrate Fabayo Azore in 2016 committed him to stand trial on the lesser charge of manslaughter. That decision was based on the evidence presented during the inquiry.

The incident dates back to February 4, 2015, near the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) access road at Timehri, EBD. According to police, Bacchus and Ram, then 43, were engaged in a heated argument that turned violent. Ram suffered multiple stab wounds and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) where he later died.
Throughout the trial, Bacchus was represented by attorneys Nigel Hughes and Kiswana Jefford. The State’s case was led by prosecutors Praneta Seeraj, Abiola Lowe, and Mtumika Lumumba.
Justice Harnanan has set June 17, 2025, as the date for sentencing. The court is expected to weigh both mitigating and aggravating factors before determining Bacchus’s fate.