Convicted child rapist gets two life sentences

Navindra Badal
Navindra Badal

Two consecutive life sentences were handed down on Wednesday to a man who was found guilty of two counts of raping a nine-year-old girl.

Navindra Badal was sentenced by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Sexual Offences Court in Georgetown after being found guilty by a jury.

Badal, also known as ‘Uncle Ravi,’ pleaded not guilty to the two counts of rape of a child under the age of 16, which occurred in 2016. He was represented by attorney Maxwell McKay.

In a victim impact statement, read by Counsellor Celeste Mullin, it was noted that the child felt sad about what Badal did to her. The child also told the counsellor that she wanted Badal to go to prison for the bad things he did to her.

Asked by Justice Sewnarine-Beharry if he wished to say anything, the accused said “no.”

Prior to sentencing the accused, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry stated that she took into consideration the fact that the young girl was nine-years-old when she was violated by the accused, along with the physical, psychological and emotional scars the act has inflicted on the young girl.

Badal was then sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the two charges. These life sentences are expected to run consecutively with eligibility for parole only available after he would have served 45 years on each of the two life sentences.