Babita Sarjou’s murder: Husband jailed for 22 years, accomplice for 18 years
After 12 long years of waiting, a family was finally given justice on Thursday for the brutal murder of their loved one, who was strangled and then buried in a shallow grave.
The disappearance of 28-year-old Babita Sajou, who was a mother of two, on the eve of Diwali 2010 had shocked the country and the situation was even more painful when her bones and clothing were pulled from a shallow grave next to her estranged husband’s yard.
Sarjou’s estranged reputed husband, Shradhanand Narine called “Anand”, 45, and his accomplice and friend, 41-year-old Daral Ponton aka “Yankee”, pleaded guilty to murdering the woman when they appeared before Demerara High Court Judge Simone Morris-Ramlall on February 6.
A jail sentence of 22-and-a-half years was imposed on Narine, while Ponton was imprisoned for 18-and-a-half years by the presiding Judge when they appeared before her on Thursday.
Time spent on remand, amounting to about seven-and-a-half years will be deducted from their respective sentences. During their initial arraignment, it was revealed that Narine paid Ponton a meagre $100,000 to kill the mother of his children, whom he had accused of being unfaithful.
The pair had initially pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, but opted to change their pleas that said day. The woman was killed between November 4 and 5, 2010.
Narine was represented by Attorney-at-Law Siand Dhurjon while Ponton was represented by lawyers from the law firm, Hughes, Fields, and Stoby.
State Counsel Muntaz Ali was one of the prosecutors.
At their sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Sarjou’s murder, Champa Seenarine cried: “Since the death of my daughter and the proceedings before Justice Morris-Ramlall, I have been very depressed and I have sleepless nights. I cry every day; I miss my daughter.”
“I am heartbroken, in pain, stressful. I miss my daughter a lot. My daughter did not deserve to die like that. She will always be remembered; she will be in my heart.”
Moreover, it was revealed by a probation officer that since his incarceration, Narine has begun teaching Christianity and is making use of rehabilitation programmes provided by the prison service. While he has accepted responsibility for his role in the woman’s murder, Narine maintained that he did not actually kill her, said the officer.
According to the officer, some of the confessed killer’s family members have distanced themselves from him since the incident, which, they say, has caused their family embarrassment. Narine is hoping for an opportunity to return to society to do charity work.
Meanwhile, Ponton shared with the probation officer that the last six years of his life have been the “hardest”, since he has lost his freedom, his relationship with his family, and most importantly, has been unable to fulfill his duties to his young daughter.
In an emotional plea to the court, a tearful Narine said: “A life has been lost. There is no amount of words that I can express how sorry I am that I have caused you [Sarjou’s mother] and your family pain and suffering. I felt like it was not worth living anymore. But counselling from some of the prison officers and my fellow inmates, made me realise that, that is not the way. I have asked God to renew my mind and thinking, to cleanse my heart, and to make me a better person so that when I am reintegrated back into society, I can be able to serve mankind positively. I hope that one day you [the deceased’s family] can find it in your hearts to forgive me.”
Ponton, in an alike plea to the court, cried, “ I am kindly asking for the forgiveness of Babita Sarjou’s mom and all her siblings, please. I am kindly asking the court and society to forgive me for my actions. I know I have done wrong. I am a different person; I have changed. I am trying my best to pray for everyone. Your worship [Justice Morris-Ramlall], I am sorry.”
For her part, Justice Morris-Ramlall, in her sentencing remarks, described Sarjou’s murder as an “atrocity” against women in our society. She stressed that there should be no justification for violence against women and that any justification of such should be “strongly frowned on”.
State prosecutors have given oral notice of their intention to appeal the sentences imposed.
Narine has three children and Ponton is a father of one.
Facts
The facts narrated by the prosecutor revealed that in 2009, the couple was experiencing marital problems which caused Narine to publish nude photographs of his wife at her workplace.
In October 2010, Narine and Ponton met on D’Urban Street, Georgetown, and planned to kill the woman. They lured her to Homestretch Avenue on November 4, 2010.
On the eve of Diwali, November 4, 2010, Sarjou, 28, had left her Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD) home to view the annual motorcade with her estranged husband and son.
When Sarjou arrived in the vicinity of the National Cultural Centre, she met Narine and Ponton sitting in Narine’s car. Also in the car was the couple’s then-four-year-old son.
As Sarjou reached into the car to grab her son, Narine tricked her into getting into the car by telling her that something was wrong with the vehicle.
He then exited the vehicle with his son, leaving Ponton and his reputed wife behind. He then ordered Ponton to choke his wife and instructed him to hunk the vehicle’s horn when he was done. They then covered her lifeless body with a blanket and transported it to Narine’s Seaforth Street, Campbellville, Georgetown home.
There, they buried her body in a hole that had already been dug next to Narine’s yard. According to the prosecutor, the pair used mud and cement to conceal the corpse.
Narine paid Ponton $100,000 as part payment to kill his partner, Prosecutor Ali revealed. Narine, in his confession statement, told detectives that his wife was unfaithful and was causing him embarrassment, so he hatched a plan to get rid of her.
Ponton, however, in a similar statement, said he was only paid $50,000.
When Sarjou did not return home, Narine was questioned as the two were known to be experiencing problems in their marriage as several domestic violence reports were lodged at the Police station. Sarjou’s family then reported her missing to the Police.
Sarjou’s disappearance was solved in May 2016 after skeletal remains were found in a hole near her estranged husband’s residence. DNA tests confirmed that the remains were indeed Sarjou’s.
Her cause of death was given as inconclusive.
