Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
Accused found guilty of killing man with paddle at wedding house
Rajen Dindial, who was on trial for the September 3, 2017 murder of Ashton Henry, was yesterday found guilty on the lesser count manslaughter by a jury.
GUILTY: Rajen Dindial
Dindial, who was represented by lawyers Nigel Hughes and Sophia Findlay, was on trial before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the High Court in Demerara. He had initially pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
Dindial, formerly of Lot 653 Section ‘C’ Block Y Golden Grove, unlawfully killed Henry, c/d “Boy”, at Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara. It was reported that Dindial and Henry were at a wedding celebration at a house when an argument ensued between them after Henry pushed down a portable toilet and refused to pick it up.
The court heard that Dindial became annoyed and armed himself with a paddle and dealt the victim several lashes about his body. The court heard that Henry fell unconscious and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he succumbed some time after.
Dindial’s lawyer requested a probation report to be prepared on his client.
The convicted killer returns to court on November 28 for sentencing.
During the State’s case which was presented by state counsel, Shawnette Austin, and Sarah Martin, an eyewitness, Kemis Harris said that around 11:30hrs, he was walking through a street where the wedding was being held when he Henry push down a portable toilet.
He said that the portable toilet was a few feet away from the wedding house at the four-corner of the street.
According to the witness, several persons rushed up to Henry and one of them, a man, whom he described as a stranger to the community and a friend of Dindial, lashed him to his face with a bottle that broke as a result.
In retaliation, he said Henry picked up and a case of empty beer bottles and threw it at the man’s face, but missed. It was then he said
Dindial armed himself with a paddle which he used to lash Henry to his neck.
The witness added, “When Boy [Henry] get that chop lash… Dindial kept on lashing Boy until he can’t move…on his face and on his chest.”
Harris added that Dindial’s brother, who is only known by the call name, “Doggy”, kicked Henry to his face as the injured man lay on the ground. He added that he only reported what he saw to the police after he heard that Henry had died. The witness related that when he visited the police station, he identified Dindial as the ‘beat man’.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Chilling reminders that we are not safe
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Georgetown was plunged into shock and terror last week after two heinous incidents laid... more
Breaking the Chains of Poverty: A need for political will
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The year 2024 has underscored a grim reality: poverty continues to be an unyielding... more
Weekend Cartoon
