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22 years for wife killer
22 years in jail: Vindra Siriram
Almost a month after he was convicted by a 12-member jury for killing his common law wife, who was found dead with her head submerged in a bucket of water, 35 year-old Vindra Siriram has been sentenced to serve 22 years in jail for the crime.
Judge James Bovell Drakes handed down the custodial sentence yesterday at the High Court in Georgetown after the presentation of a probation report.
Upon his arraignment before the court, Siriram had pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that between June 9 and 10, 2014, he murdered the then 22-year-old Shelly Ann Persaud.
Persaud, a housewife, was found at the bottom of the back stairs of the couple’s residence at Friendship, East Bank Demerara. Her head was partly submerged in a five-gallon bucket of water. Following the discovery of the woman’s body, a report was made by the family to the police. Subsequent investigations led to Siriram being taken into custody and charged with murder.
Throughout the trial, Siriram was represented by Attorney-at-Law Damian DaSilva. Appearing for the State was Prosecutor Seeta Bishundial.
According to Probation and Social Services Officer, Isha Bartrum, Siriram was diagnosed with meningitis when he was just seven years of age. The diagnosis, she revealed, prevented him from living a normal life, since he suffered from steady severe headaches.
Noting that it was doubtful that he would live to see adulthood, the Probation Officer told the court that Siriram was unable to write Common Entrance Examinations due to being constantly absent from school which was caused by the effect of the ailment.
Siriram and Persaud met when she was just 19 and shared three children, the Probation Officer said, adding that Siriram fathered another child from a previous relation.
The court was told by the Probation Officer that Siriram’s two eldest daughters were adopted by an overseas-based couple after they were taken into custody of the Childcare and Protection Agency, due to certain situations.
Reflecting on Siriram’s teenage years, the Probation Officer added that at 15, he underwent training in spray painting under supervision of a male individual. But after the man migrated, she added that the training ended prematurely and Siriram later gained employment as a labourer at a reputable company.
According to the Probation Officer, some residents in the neighbourhood do not believe that it was Siriram who murdered the woman, citing that he was a hard worker and calm individual who loved his wife dearly. The residents, she added, are of the belief that the “wrong man is behind bars.
However, the Social Services Officers disclosed that another resident assumed that Siriram “snapped” on the fatal day due to widespread reports around the community of his wife being unfaithful. She said that reports out of the prisons, support that Siriram is a well-behaved prisoner who is “very private.”
The Judge advised Siriram to use his time in prison to reflect on his shortcomings and to be a better person so that he will be of meaningful contribution to society when he is released from jail.
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