Guilty of Murder: Mother Gets 18 Months, Son 37 years

The verdict was delivered at 11pm on Tuesday, 13th February 2024 at the Assizes Court. Swaraj Seetal, a bus driver from Mahebourg, was sentenced to 37 years in prison for the non-premeditated murder of his wife, Hema Basama, on the 26th September 2017, on La Chaux Street, Mahebourg. He was unanimously found guilty by the jury.

The defendant’s mother, Hansranee Seetal, received eighteen months in prison. She was found guilty, by a majority of eight to one, of failing to assist a person in danger, for not coming to the aid of her daughter-in-law when she was attacked. Both mother and son pleaded not guilty in the case.

The verdict was delivered by Judge Luchmyparsad Aujayeb. Hema Basama, aged 25, was declared dead on the 26th September 2017 at the hospital in Mahebourg. Her husband, Swaraj Seetal, claimed she had committed suicide.

However, an autopsy conducted by Dr Sudesh Kumar Gungadin, Chief Police Medical Officer, revealed she had been strangled. The victim was a bank employee. Swaraj Seetal was represented by Me Neelkanth Dulloo.

Hansranee Seetal was represented by Me Madan Dulloo. The prosecution was represented by Meenakshi Bhogun, Principal State Counsel, and Vidya Mungroo-Jugurnath, Senior State Counsel.

They focused on Swaraj Seetal’s confessions to the police, particularly that he strangled his wife after she confronted him about a withdrawal from her bank account. Swaraj Seetal admitted in court to having a history of drug addiction.

Source: Defi Media