A 33-year-old Montrose, East Coast Demerara (ECD) father of one, was handed a life sentence for the vicious 2014 Boxing Day stabbing that left his victim traumatised and bedridden for weeks. Originally indicted for attempted murder, Ganesh Dhanraj, also known as “Jango,” was convicted of the lesser charge of felonious wounding by a jury last month.

The victim, Clinton Babooram, was 20 years at the time of the incident.
The sentencing hearing, which was presided over by Justice Navindra Singh and held at the High Court in Demerara on Monday, marked the culmination of a protracted legal battle.
After nearly a decade-long wait, the sentence brought a sense of closure to the victim and his family, who have endured immense pain.

In determining parole eligibility, the court started with a base sentence of 30 years but imposed an additional four years due to Dhanraj’s attempt to present a false defence. Justice Singh also added five more years for what he characterised as the felon’s “senseless, unprovoked, and cruel act.” As a result, Dhanraj will be eligible for parole after serving 39 years. In addition to the life sentence, Dhanraj was also ordered to be flogged with four strokes of the whip.
During the proceedings, Pamela Nauth, the victim’s aunt, delivered a heart-wrenching victim-impact statement on behalf of her nephew, shedding light on the lasting scars left by the brutal attack. “The stabbing was terrible, cruel, and unprovoked,” Nauth said.
“When I was stabbed, I almost lost my life. My family was told that there was nothing that could be done to save me and that they should come into the Emergency Room to say their goodbyes,” she said, while quoting Babooram’s statement. The woman revealed that her nephew was hospitalised for over two weeks and remained bedridden at home, even after his discharge.

“It was a difficult period, not knowing if I would ever be normal again—physically, emotionally, or psychologically,” she said, quoting Babooram’s statement.
Reading from her nephew’s statement, the woman added: “I am still traumatised. I have nightmares, suffer from anxiety and continue to experience horrific flashbacks. What made it even worse was having to wait 10 years for my day in court. During that time, I had to watch the person who did this to me walk freely, sometimes right in front of my home.”

In his statement, Babooram urged the public to donate blood, emphasising that it saves lives.
During a plea for mitigation, Dhanraj’s lawyer, Adrian Thompson, urged the judge to temper justice with mercy, highlighting his client’s previously unblemished criminal record.
When given a chance to address the court, Dhanraj expressed: “Ah begging fuh mercy because ah does maintain my family—my mother and father. Me and them two alone does live. I is the breadwinner for the house. Ah begging fuh mercy yuh honour.”
It was only when the judge asked if he had anything to say regarding the crime that Dhanraj responded, “Ah sorry fuh wuh happen.”

State prosecutor, attorney-at-law Muntaz Ali, highlighted a number of aggravating factors, including the nature, seriousness and prevalence of the offence.
“There is a significant number of unjustifiable, serious attacks and unlawful wounding with intent being committed in our society, especially on holidays and during the Christmas season.”
He described the incident as a “surprise attack” on the victim, noting that there was no prior grievance, provocation, or aggression from Babooram. Ali stated that at the time of the crime, Babooram and Dhanraj were acquainted and lived in the same village. The prosecutor highlighted that in areas where the offence is prevalent, the primary goal of sentencing should be to serve as a deterrent, not only to the offender, but also to potential offenders.

Prosecutor Ali also highlighted several other aggravating factors, including the use of a deadly weapon, the cruelty involved in the attack, and the fact that the victim was stabbed in the groin, a vital area containing major blood vessels, as confirmed by medical experts.
Additionally, Ali said Dhanraj showed no remorse and continued to assert his innocence.

Ali further pointed out that Dhanraj fled the scene immediately after the brutal attack, offering no assistance to the victim nor reporting the incident to the police. Ali stated that the convict was apprehended a month later. The prosecutor said that Dhanraj initially claimed self-defence during an interview with a probation officer, but during the trial, he presented an alibi in his defence.
The case was also prosecuted by attorney-at-law Christopher Belfield.

The incident occurred on December 26, 2014, at Montrose, when Babooram, the victim, was standing outside a rum shop near his home. Dhanraj approached Babooram and, without warning, stabbed him in the groin with a knife before fleeing the scene.
Babooram fell unconscious and was rushed to the St Joseph Mercy Hospital.

Due to a critical shortage of blood, he was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he underwent emergency surgery.
Babooram spent three weeks in the hospital recovering from the life-threatening injury.