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‘Second time lucky’
– Woman walks free after new trial for murder of uncle
Kaieteur News – Forty-three-year-old Vishawantie Ragnauth, who was on trial for the 2014 murder of her uncle Sunil Ramsundar was on Wednesday freed of the indictment.
Set free, Vishawantie Ragnauth
Ragnauth along with her reputed husband, Nyron Thakurdyal was initially jointly charged with the capital offence of murder. In 2018, the couple was found guilty of the murder of 39-year-old miner Ramsundar, which occurred on December 26, 2014, at Skull City, Patentia, West Bank Demerara. They were both sentenced to serve 40 years for the crime.
However, the woman appealed the sentence and the Court of Appeal in December 2022 set aside the conviction and ordered a retrial. Thakurdyal died in prison, while Ragnauth faced a new trial before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Demerara High Court.
On Wednesday, after one hour of deliberating, the jury returned with a unanimous not guilty verdict. Ragnauth was represented by attorney-at-law George Thomas and the State was represented by Tanesha Saigon, Marisa Edwards, Abiola Lowe, and Delon Fraser.
The State’s case was that Ramsundar was killed after he attempted to settle a dispute between his sister, Ragnauth (his niece), and Thakurdyal. It was reported that about 22:00 hours on Boxing Day 2014, Ramsundar was allegedly stabbed and killed by his niece and her spouse, after he attempted to settle a disagreement.
On the day, Ragnauth assaulted her mother, who is Ramsundar’s sister. Upon seeing his sister crying, the now dead man had approached her to inquire of the problem. After an explanation was given to him, Ramsundar then confronted his niece and an argument ensued between them. Things escalated, and Ragnauth’s spouse and Ramsundar became involved in a scuffle, during which Ramsundar was allegedly stabbed about the body by his niece and the man. The injured man collapsed and was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Importantly, during the trial, Ragnauth in her defence stated that she was unsure who stabbed her uncle during the scuffle.
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