Husband charged with murdering wife at Parika

Ganesh Dhanraj was yesterday remanded to prison after being charged with murdering his wife, Dhanwantie Ram, last Wednesday at their Parika, East Bank Essequibo home.

Dhanraj, 28, a farmer, appeared before Magis-trate Rochelle Liverpool at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, where the charge was read to him.

The charge stated that on April 5, at Parika, he murdered Ram. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge and he was remanded to prison until June 5.

Dhanwantie Ram
Ganesh Dhanraj

Dhanraj, who was unrepresented during the arraignment, was apprehended by police on Sunday morning after being on the run since his wife was strangled. Police said he sustained a gunshot wound to his right arm after he attempted to flee from them for a second time.

On Thursday, a day after the murder, Dhanraj plunged into the Essequibo River at Roden Rust to evade the police.

Ram, who is the common-law wife of Dhanraj, was found dead by her sister last Wednesday.

Latchmie Jailall, the dead woman’s sister, had told Stabroek News that Dhanraj had forced Ram into their house and locked himself with her inside. Jailall left and returned a little later and she discovered Ram’s lifeless body. Ram was a mother of three.