Crabwood Creek boat captain sentenced to death for wife’s killing

Mar 31, 2017 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

A 44-year-old man who was on trial for the murder of his reputed wife has been found guilty of the act and was yesterday sentenced to death, in the Berbice High Court.

Death Sentence: Davendra Hansraj

Davendra Hansraj, called ‘Dog man’, a boat captain of Lot 17, Grant 1780 Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice was on trial, before Justice James Bovell Drakes and a mixed Jury.
Hansraj was accused of murdering his reputed wife Mohanranie Udaray called ‘Sherry’, 28, a mother of one on 18th December 2014 at their home, following a misunderstanding.
State Prosecutor attorney at law Orinthia Schmidt presented the state’s case.
The accused was represented by Attorneys at law Mark Waldron, Mark Conway and Keoma Griffith.
Earlier State Prosecutor Schmidt summed up the evidence for the prosecution and urged the jurors to believe same.
The defence had urged the jury not to believe the evidence of the prosecution and had contended that there was not sufficient evidence to convict their client. The issue of accident was also raised.
Justice Bovell Drakes then summed up the evidence of the trial to the jury and guided then on the points of law.
The jury had returned after one hour with a six-six deadlock. However they returned after another hour of deliberation. In response to the registrar, the foreman told the court that they had arrived at a unanimous verdict of guilty of murder.
The Court Marshall then announced that Davendra Hansraj was sentenced to death, according to common law. He was then ordered to be taken out of the court by the Prison Officer.
The woman who hailed from the Black Bush Polder area had been living with the man who is a boat captain on one of the small boats that ply the Corentyne River to Suriname. They were living together for over two years in the upper flat of a two-storey house.
The woman had reportedly gone to Georgetown to conduct some business for her daughter Riya, and to take her to the U.S. embassy. It was that visit that led to an argument. It was upon her return that the argument erupted. The child did not sleep at home on the night in question, but went to her biological father’s home where she stayed. The woman was found in an unconscious state lying face down in a pool of blood, with a gaping wound to her neck.
A post mortem examination gave the cause of death as asphyxiation, lack of oxygen due to blood in her lungs and stab wound to the neck. The state had called nine witnesses.