3 years for killing stepson

The sentence was handed down on Ashram Bajnath, 23, by Justice Joan Charles in the San Fernando High Court yesterday. The judge described the case as “tragic and heart rending” but added that a Probation Officer’s report described Bajnath as an accused who was extremely remorseful.

Bajnath of Carli Bay, Couva, was charged with the 2001 murder of stepson Avinash Gangabissoon. He, however pleaded guilty on July 14, to the lesser count of manslaughter in the San Fernando Second Criminal Court.

State attorney Angelica Teelucksingh told the court that on December 7, 2001, Sacrool returned from work and on not seeing Avinash, asked Bajnath for the child’s whereabouts. Bajnath told her Avinash was dead.

Sacrool rushed Avinash to the Couva Health Facility where he was pronounced dead on arrival. An autopsy revealed that he died from multiple blunt force trauma to the head. The child also had multiple fractured ribs.

In sentencing Bajnath yesterday, Charles said that the case demonstrated that the social services in the country should be more proactive in dealing with the needs of a certain section of society.

Saying it was no longer enough to wait until a complaint or report was lodged, the judge added: “It is clear that the parties (in this case) were in distressed circumstances. I think early intervention may be able to prevent things like these from happening.”

Bajnath’s attorney Ainsley Lucky, told Charles the accused was frustrated because he was unemployed. In justifying the three-year sentence, Charles told the court she took into account that Bajnath had apologised for the grief and pain he brought to Sacrool and her family.