Parika wife-killer to spend over 10 more years in jail

Having been on remand since April 11, 2017, awaiting trial for killing his reputed wife, 33-year-old Ganesh Dhanraj, called “Andre”, a farmer of Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), will have to spend another 10 years and seven months in prison.

Initially indicted for the capital offence of murder committed on 29-year-old Dhanwantie Ram, Ganesh Dhanraj last month opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, and
the custodial sentence was handed down on Wednesday by Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court.
Ganesh Dhanraj has admitted to killing Dhanwantie Ram, his reputed wife and the mother of three, on April 5, 2017.
Dhanraj was represented by defence lawyer Ravindra Mohabir, while State Counsel Latifah Elliott appeared for the prosecution.
In calculating a sentence for Dhanraj, the Judge commenced at a base of 24 years. Eight years of the base sentence were deducted for the man’s early guilty plea, and another five years, five months, and four days were deducted for time he spent in pre-trial custody, bringing his final sentence to 10 years and seven months.
This newspaper had previously reported that Dhanraj had strangled his reputed wife with a bed sheet at their Parika home. The woman was said to have suffered abuse at the hands of Dhanraj for approximately 12 years.
Determined to end the reported verbal and physical abuse, Ram had left Dhanraj’s home with her three children four days prior to her death, and had gone to live with her relatives in Parika.

On April 4, 2017, Dhanraj visited the home where Ram was staying, and demanded that she return home with him. She reportedly refused, and this angered him to the point where he allegedly physically assaulted her before leaving the premises.
The following morning, the woman was on her way to report the assault to the Police station when Dhanraj reportedly intercepted and forced her into his vehicle, taking her to his home.
Neighbours heard her screams as the man assaulted her in his house, but upon entering the yard, they saw him running towards the Parika backdam. Ram’s lifeless body was subsequently found by her sister, in a sitting position on a chair, with a sheet knotted around her neck. (G1)