Man who killed ex-wife with crossbow jailed
Jury rejects ‘accident’ claim at retrial
A “COLD-BLOODED” crossbow killer who shot his heavily pregnant ex-wife in an act of revenge is facing life behind bars.
Ramanodge Unmathallegadoo, 51, burst into the home of Sana Muhammad and fired an arrow into her stomach as she fled upstairs. Mrs Muhammad, 35, formerly known as Devi Unmathallegadoo, suffered catastrophic internal injuries and died.
Her unborn son – her sixth child – was delivered by Caesarean section and miraculously survived.
A jury rejected the defendant’s claim it was an accident and found him guilty of murder after four hours of deliberations.
Unmathallegadoo made no reaction as the verdict was delivered following a retrial at the Old Bailey.
Adjourning sentencing to November 29, Judge Mark Lucraft QC told the defendant: “You have been convicted of the most horwife,
rendous crime in the face of your own children and it’s extremely grave what you have carried out.”
Afterwards, Mrs Muhammad’s widower paid tribute to his outgoing and bubbly “soul mate”.
Imtiaz Muhammad said: “She was very friendly, talkative and always made me laugh. She was my soulmate, my best friend, my my companion and my everything and I love her dearly.
“Ram must have been very jealous of the life Sana and I had and that we were living a happy life.”
He said his wife had been “scared” of the defendant, adding: “She would always say ‘Ram does not forgive and forget, he likes to create trouble no matter if he loses everything’.”
Her mother, Ellemah Sutharamandoo, said she was “overwhelmed” with sadness.
She said: “I always treated Ramanodge as my own son, I always thought of him and his wellbeing after the separation. It brings me so much pain to know that he could be capable of something so hateful and so calculated. I cannot forgive him.”
The court heard how the victim had an arranged marriage to the defendant in Mauritius on her 16th birthday. He was 30 at the time.
Their unhappy relationship ended in 2012 after an incident in which she jumped out of an upstairs window and broke her ankle.