The trial into the disturbing 2010 murder of Babita Sarjou will begin soon. Her husband and his co-accused appeared before the High Court this morning and denied having any hand in the woman’s murder. Apart from their plea, a panel of jurors was also selected.
It is alleged that Sarjou’s husband, Sharnandand Narine in partnership with Darel Pronton, murdered Sarjou, sometime between November 4-5, 2010.
The duo were indicted for the capital offence of murder before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the High Court. During the trial, Narine will be represented by Attorney-at-law Siand Dhurjon while Pronton will be represented by Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes and his associates.
It has been 12 years since Sarjou left her home to go to the Diwali motorcade on the evening of November 4, 2010 and never returned. Narine reportedly paid Pronton $50,000 along with a promise of a trip to Trinidad, in exchange for killing Sarjou.
Detectives say that it was Narine, who reportedly called her for them to have a night out. But investigators knew that something was wrong, and while revisiting the case six years later, the team of detectives came across a startling discovery.
In May 2016, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum and a team of detectives interrogated Narine, who reportedly confessed to murdering his wife and burying her in a shallow grave.
DNA samples taken from the remains later confirmed that it was Sarjou. Narine reportedly told detectives that Sarjou was strangled while in the front seat of his car by Pronton.
The husband should be executed.