Man to hang for ex-wife’s murder

Justice Malcolm Holdip pronounced the death sentence on Basdeo Ramlochan and Siewkumar Chankar Persad, the latter being the hired killer who was paid $30,000 to kill Sunita Ramlochan and Rahim Abraham.

Ramlochan, 29, divorced her husband and had gone to live with Abraham, 46, who was a foreign used car dealer. The State led evidence before the judge and a 12-member jury, that five minutes after Abraham and Ramlochan returned to their Avocat Village home on October 15, 2006, they were both shot dead.

Ramlochan’s daughter, 11, who was at home at the time, was unharmed.

State Attorney Stacy Laloo- Chong opened the case in May and presented 27 witnesses, one of whom testified that he lived upstairs the house and heard a loud noise and then heard Ramlochan’s screams.

Hours later, officers led by Sgt Peter Ramdeen, arrested ex-husband Ramlochan at his home.

Persad was arrested days later.

Attorney Anslem Leander instructed Laloo-Chong in prosecuting the two accused for murder.

Prosecutor Laloo Chong cross-examined Persad but Ramlochan opted to remain silent. He was defended by Rekha Ramjit while attorney Bindra Dolsingh represented Persad.

Justice Holdip began summation of the case on Friday and continued yesterday. The jury retired for less than an hour before returning guilty verdicts. As Justice Holdip passed the death sentence on both men, their female relatives who sat in the public gallery began to weep. Sunita’s sister Elsie Beharry waited until proceedings ended before walking over to Laloo-Chong and hugged her.