Wife killer to spend 10 years behind bars

Ganesh Dhanraj called Andre was on Wednesday sentenced to 10 years, seven months for killing his 29-year-old reputed wife during a domestic altercation at their Parika Façade, East Bank Essequibo home in 2017.

Dhanraj was sentenced by Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court.

Last month, he was arraigned for the capital offence of murder. However, Dhanraj opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter which alleged that he killed Dhanwantie Ram, on April 5, 2017.

He was represented by attorney-at-law Ravindra Mohabir, while the state was represented by prosecutors Latifiah Elliot, Marisa Edwards and Simran Gajraj.

During his sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Dhanraj said he is remorseful for his action and wishes he could have turned back the hand of time and walked away from the situation that day.

The judge, in imposing the sentence, said that she considered that the crime stemmed from a domestic dispute and there was an attempt to conceal the crime.

The judge started the sentence at 24 years and made a one-third deduction for his early guilty plea. She also deducted five years, five months and four days from the sentence for the time he spent on remand.

This means that Dhanraj will serve 10 years and seven months behind bars.

The News Room previously reported that the man allegedly strangled his wife with a bed sheet after she attempted to leave the relationship.

The woman has repeatedly suffered from abuse at the hands of Dhanraj, who she shared three children with.

After killing the woman, Dhanraj fled the scene and was arrested four days later by the police. During his apprehension, Dhanraj was shot in his right arm by police after he attempted to escape.

In 2020, Dhanraj was among four prisoners who escaped from the Lusignan Holding Bay. He was rearrested almost one month while inside a car at Parika, East Bank Essequibo.