Thirty-year-old Anthony Jaghroo has been sentenced to time served for killing Yugheshwar Shiwchand, called “Shah Rukh Khan,” after deductions for his guilty plea, reports presented to the court and remorse reduced his sentence to six years less than the six years and six months he had already spent on remand.
Jaghroo appeared before Chief Justice (ag) Navindra Singh and pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter, having originally been indicted for murder over the July 2016 killing at Belle West, Canal No. 2, West Bank Demerara.
The prosecution was conducted by Praneta Seeraj and Christopher Belfield, while attorney-at-law Mark Waldron represented Jaghroo.
Chief Justice Singh adopted a starting sentence of 15 years, deducting five years for the guilty plea, two years for the reports presented and another two years for remorse. With the resulting six-year term already covered by his time on remand, Jaghroo was sentenced to time served.
According to the agreed facts, Shiwchand entered Jaghroo’s yard between 9 pm and 10 pm on July 5, 2016. He was naked, climbed the stairs and asked for Jaghroo’s mother and sister while attempting to enter the home.
A scuffle followed on the verandah, during which Jaghroo pushed Shiwchand to the ground and chased him out of the yard. Jaghroo then went to Shiwchand’s home to complain about what had occurred before returning to his residence.
Shiwchand subsequently returned to the yard without a shirt and attempted to climb the stairs. Jaghroo punched him in the head, causing him to fall.
Jaghroo then pulled Shiwchand towards the concrete foundation beside the stairs and repeatedly struck his head against it. His uncle, known as “Tall Man,” intervened and pulled him away.
Shiwchand was admitted to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where he died on July 10, 2016. A post-mortem examination found that he died from a subdural haematoma resulting from blunt trauma to the head. Multiple blunt-force injuries to his body were also recorded.
A pre-sentence report prepared by Welfare Officer Dawn Sumner-London described Jaghroo as a father of two daughters with no previous convictions recorded by the Guyana Prison Service.
The report, dated October 29, 2026, stated that he was admitted to prison on May 27, 2020, and committed to the Supreme Court on December 13, 2022.
Prison officers reported no complaints about his conduct, while a review of his penal record revealed no documented infractions. Fellow inmates described him as quiet and respectful.
Jaghroo worked as a barber within the prison, assisting with grooming inmates in several buildings, and participated in food safety training.
The welfare officer recommended further behavioural change and skills programmes to support his decision-making, personal development and employment prospects upon release.
During his interview with the welfare officer, Jaghroo admitted responsibility and expressed remorse. He said he had acted to protect his sisters but acknowledged that he should have walked away.
He appealed to Shiwchand’s family for forgiveness and asked the court for a second chance, referring to his two daughters and expressing regret over his actions.
Jaghroo also told the welfare officer that he had escaped police custody following his initial arrest and travelled to Berbice, where he started a family before being rearrested in 2020.
According to the report, he intends to return to Tain, Corentyne, Berbice, upon release. He maintains contact with his mother and girlfriend, who provide emotional support.
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