Anthony “Cookie” Ragnauth, 26, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 28 years for the murder of Canadian national Neil Whyte, a Supply Chain Manager at Guyana Goldfields Inc.
Ragnauth had earlier pleaded guilty before Chief Justice (ag) Navindra Singh at the High Court in Demerara.
He was represented by attorney Latchmie Rahamat, while the prosecution team comprised attorney Christopher Belfield, assisted by attorneys Simran Gajraj and Geneva Wills.
Court records indicate that Ragnauth met Whyte, 42, of Toronto, Canada, about five months before the fatal attack, and the two maintained communication, occasionally socialising at bars.
On May 21, 2018, Whyte invited Ragnauth to his Thomas Street apartment in North Cummingsburg. Security footage showed them entering the building around 10:00 p.m., and Ragnauth leaving about two hours later carrying a black haversack. A security officer later discovered Whyte’s naked body lying in a pool of blood on his bed.
When police approached Ragnauth on May 23 while he was driving, he initially denied knowing Whyte.
However, after being confronted with the security footage, he admitted to the killing, reportedly telling police, “Officer, I will tell you everything, and I did not mean to kill him.”
In a caution statement, Ragnauth claimed that Whyte agreed to be bound with plastic restraints. He then retrieved a kitchen knife and stabbed Whyte multiple times.
After the attack, Ragnauth stole CAN $260 dollars, GY $25,000 dollars, and two cell phones, later discarding Whyte’s wallet, credit cards, and phones at the seawall.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Whyte sustained 17 stab wounds across the neck, shoulders, arms, and hands.
Several major blood vessels, including the jugular vein, were severed, and his trachea and larynx were penetrated. The cause of death was listed as hemorrhage and shock.
Ragnauth had originally been committed to stand trial, but his guilty plea led to Wednesday’s sentencing, which now requires him to serve at least 28 years before becoming eligible for parole.
