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Ex-husband, hit man sentencing deferred
Babita Sarjou case…
Kaieteur News – The sentencing for 34-year-old Shradhanand Narine, called ‘Anand’ and 41-year-old Daral Ponto, called ‘Yankee’ was on Monday deferred to February 14, 2023 by Justice Simone Morris – Ramlall.
Last month, Narine, of Lot 51 Seaforth Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, admitted to paying Ponto, of Lot 54 Broad Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, $100,000 to murder his wife, Babita Sarjou back in 2010 – Ponto also admitted to the crime.
Daral Ponto called ‘Yankee’ (left) and Shradhanand Narine, called “Anand”
The matter was called on Monday before Justice Morris-Ramlall at the Demerara High Court. The prosecution informed the court that Narine and Ponto have not yet been subject to a psychiatric evaluation. As such, the judge adjourned the matter to next Tuesday at 11:00hours.
Kaieteur News had reported that a jury was empanelled for the trial after both men denied that between November 4 and 5, 2010, they murdered Sarjou. However, when the trial was set to commence Narine and Ponto changed their pleas and pleaded guilty to the capital offence.
Babita Sarjou disappeared on November 4, 2010. The mother of one was reported missing for six years before her skeletal remains were discovered buried near Narine’s backyard.
On May 22, 2016, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum and a team of detectives were able to crack the case. After digging the site for hours, detectives recovered skeletal remains which were later determined to be Sarjou’s following DNA testing.
State Counsel, Muntaz Ali, who led the prosecution, told the court that in Narine’s written confession, he detailed his involvement in the crime. According to the confession, in 2010 Sarjou and Narine had marital problems and Narine published nude photographs of his wife.
In October 2010, Narine and Ponto met at D’Urban and Hardina Streets, Georgetown, where they formulated the plan to kill Sarjou.
On November 4, 2010, Narine and Ponto executed their plan.
They first lured Sarjou to the National Cultural Centre, located on Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.
Dead, Babita Sarjou
When she arrived, Narine, his 4-year-old son along with Ponto were sitting in Narine’s car. According to the confession statement, Narine tricked Sarjou into getting into the vehicle before he grabbed his son and left her in his vehicle along with Ponto.
Notably, Narine had told Ponto to honk the car horn when he was finished killing his wife. Ponto reportedly strangled the woman to death before using a blanket to cover her body in the backseat.
They then drove to Narine’s Seaforth Street, Campbellville home where they later placed her body in a hole that was dug near Narine’s backyard.
The woman’s relative later reported her missing, but it was until 2016 when detectives were able to crack the case.
Narine reportedly confessed to a police officer saying, “Babita have a lot of affairs and she been a shame me so I plan this thing with Daral to kill she.”
He even offered the police officer $5o0, 000 to “help me out this thing.”
For his part, Ponto’s confession statement was similar to Narine’s but he noted that he was given $50,000 to kill Sarjou.
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