Three men who viciously attacked and killed a Utipsa, Demerara River vendor during a robbery at his home were Thursday each sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
Chandrapaul Persaud, 50, also called “Raju” or “Duffy”; 61-year-old Heralall Ramdhan, also called “Baba” or “Roshan”; and Jagishwar Dhanai, 36, also called “Toto”, were convicted by a mixed 12-member jury in May of murder in the death of Dhanpaul Dookie, called Paulie.
Dookie, 51, was killed sometime between July 24 and 26, 2017.
Police had stated that Dookie, a farmer/coal vendor, was found dead with stab wounds to his abdomen, lower back, hip, forehead and right eye in his home in Uitspa Village, Demerara River.
After committing the act, the perpetrators had reportedly made their way into the man’s home, from whence they raided money and jewellery, among other items, before escaping. The man’s decomposing body was found by persons who had gone to check on him.
A post-mortem report listed his cause of death as multiple blunt and sharp force injuries. Persaud and Dookie were known to each other.
On Wednesday, each of the convicted killers addressed the court, begging for clemency and forgiveness and a chance to get back into society to be with their families.
All of them told the deceased man’s family that they were “sorry” for the loss of his life.
Also on Wednesday, the State prosecutor alluded to the serious nature and prevalence of the offence in pressing for the maximum sentence.
According to the Prosecutor, a knife and axe were used to inflict injuries on the now-dead man who she said was in a “defenceless” situation when he was overpowered by the trio.
Describing the attack on Dookie as “unsuspecting” given his relationship with Persaud, the Prosecutor submitted that the man’s murder was a display of wanton disregard for life.
Considering the foregoing, she asked the court to impose a sentence that reflects the serious nature and gravity of the well-orchestrated crime perpetrated.
In narrating the facts on Thursday, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry said that Persaud had observed Dookie with a stack of $5000 notes and plotted with the others to rob and kill the man.
She said, too, that the three men gave the Police caution statements outlining their roles in the crime. In her sentencing remarks, the Judge expressed that the man’s murder was a “deliberate and premeditated” act.
In considering an appropriate sentence for each of the convicts, she inter alia, considered these aggravating factors: the prevalence of felony murder; the emotional trauma caused to Dookie’s family as a result of his death as well as the serious injuries inflicted upon the now dead man.
The other aggravating factor, she highlighted, was that the three men were all adults when they murdered the vendor and as such, ought to have known the consequences of their actions.
According to Justice Sewnarine-Beharry, Persaud, and Ramdhan continue to profess their innocence despite there being “cogent evidence” implicating them in the crime. She said that Ramdhan killed Dookie while he was out on bail for attempted murder.
In her sentencing remarks, the presiding Judge noted that the mitigating factors outweighed the aggravating factors. In so doing, she highlighted that the convicts cooperated with law enforcement officials when they were arrested; there are no reports of infractions against them by the prison; and they all grew up in dysfunctional families.
She reasoned that their lack of education and intellect may have led them to make poor choices.
After examining the felons’ expression of penitence, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry concluded that Dhanai is the only one who appeared “genuinely remorseful” for his criminal conduct.
In the circumstances, each of the convicts was sentenced to imprisonment for life. Persaud and Ramdhan can apply for parole after 30 years while Dhanai can do so after 20 years.
The Director of Prisons was ordered to ensure that the three killers enroll in literacy, anger management, vocational training, and behavioural change courses. They were all represented by legal counsel. (Feona Morrison)
