TWELVE years after the gruesome murder of Babita Sarjou whose skeletal remains were found in the yard of her ex-husband, Sharnandand Narine, called ‘Anand’, Narine and his accomplice today pleaded guilty to the crime.

Narine, of Seaforth Street, Campbellville, and Darel Ponton, called ‘Yankee’ of Broad Street, Charlestown, appeared at the Demerara High Court where the indictment was presented before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall.

The duo had initially pleaded not guilty this morning to the capital offence which alleged that on November 4, 2010, at Georgetown, they murdered Sarjou.

Narine is represented by attorney Siand Dhurjon while Ponton is represented by attorney Nigel Hughes and his associates.

Sarjou had left her home to go to the Diwali motorcade on the evening of November 4, 2010, reportedly with her ‘ex’, Narine, who had called her. She went missing and her skeletal remains were later discovered in Narine’s Seaforth Street backyard on May 22, 2016.

Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum and a team of detectives were able to crack the case after spending over five hours digging up a site at Narine’s home.

After digging the site, detectives recovered skeletal remains, which DNA samples confirmed were Sarjou’s. Narine reportedly picked up Sarjou in his car, and while she was sitting in the front passenger seat she was allegedly strangled by Ponton who was seated at the back of the car.

Sarjou’s body was allegedly transported to Narine’s house where it was buried. Reports had indicated that Narine had dug the grave two days before Sarjou was killed.

Police investigations had revealed that Narine had paid Ponton $50,000 and had promised him a trip to Trinidad if he killed Sarjou.

A date for sentencing is to be set.