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.
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.
It had been reported that the two men had an altercation which led to the incident.
It was also alleged that Seetaram and his son inflicted a series of blows on the father of one.
Seetaram who is no stranger to controversy was on May 30, 2016, fired from his post as Special Representative to the Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo.
Back then, a release was issued stating that the Office of the Prime Minister has “terminated with immediate effect the services of Abel Seetaram as Regional Representative of the Office of the Prime Minister for Region 5.”
Reports are that his firing came on the heels of comments he made on social media, where he lashed out at the AFC for “disrespecting him” after members of the party held an outreach without including him.
He was also involved in another incident a few days before which saw him crashing a new and expensive Government-owned vehicle while allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
He was subsequently charged with being an unlicenced driver, dangerous driving and breach of insurance.
General Secretary (GS) of the AFC, Marlon Williams, in January of this year, said that the allegations of assault against Seetaram are “hearsay” and until judgement is passed no disciplinary actions will be taken [by the party] against him.
“All of this is hearsay. No judgement and should there be judgement, then we will cross that bridge when it comes,” he told INews during a telephone interview.
