12-years in jail for Baramita wife killer

Fifty-two-year-old Dhanraj Theophillus, the man who killed his teenage wife at Baramita in Region One, has been imprisoned for 12 years.

The custodial punishment was delivered on Friday.

The years he spent in pretrial detention have to be deducted from his 12-year sentence; Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry of the Demerara High Court has ordered.

When Theophillus went before the Judge in January, he chose to enter a guilty plea to the lesser offense of manslaughter despite having been initially charged with the capital crime of murder. 

He killed his reputed wife, Lorenda Thomas, 18, between January 17 and 18, 2018.

They had lived at Baramita, North West District, and shared a child.

They were together for over two years.

Defence lawyer Teriq Mohammed represented Theophillus while State Counsel Joy Williams and State Counsel Alvaro Ramotar prosecuted the case.

After a fight broke out between them, Thomas was assaulted by her partner.  The man approached her on January 17, 2018, as she was on her way home after seeing a friend.

She was knocked unconscious by several kicks to the abdomen delivered by him.

After the brutal beating, the teenager was able to walk home, but on January 18, 2018, she was taken to the health centre after complaining about severe stomach pain.

She died that same evening as arrangements were being made to fly her to Georgetown for medical attention. She passed away from shock and haemorrhage caused by physical trauma.