Ramnarain gets 10 years
IT WAS a bitter-sweet day for two families. One watched in despair as their only son walked away to serve a 10-year prison sentence, while the other rejoiced.
Standing with a blank expression, Omesh Ramnarain, 34, of Phoenix, was told his fate by the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
In April, Ramnarain was found responsible for the deaths of Richard da Silva, 46, and Jarred Dwyer, 36, who were knocked down while cycling on Ruth First Freeway (the M4) in February 2016.
Ramnarain, a plumbing company supervisor, was found guilty of two counts of culpable homicide and acquitted on a charge of drunk driving.
He will serve five years in prison for each count, with the court hoping this would serve as a deterrent.
Dressed in a pinstripe suit, white shirt and black tie, Ramnarain did not react as magistrate Anand Maharaj passed sentence. Moments before, though, he cried as he took the stand to express his remorse.
He explained that what had happened was not in his character.
“I am very sorry. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me some day,” said Ramnarain.
However, Dwyer’s mother, Leigh, said although the Bible said one should forgive, she would not.
“Mr Ramnarain, I am perfectly willing to spend eternity in hell if I have to, but I will never forgive you for taking my son’s life,” she said.
Da Silva’s partner for 26 years, Sonja Ferreira, said her soul was broken and her heart shattered.
“No one should have to say goodbye to a broken body covered in a silver foil blanket on a hard, cold road,” she said.
“Although his sentencing will never bring our loved ones back, our families have some form of closure as it has been strenuous on both families having to attend court and relive everything. I felt as if I was in a nightmare I could not awaken from,” she said.
Ramnarain’s counsel, advocate Murray Pitman, lodged an appeal against the sentence and this was granted by the court.
However, Ramnarain was sent straight to prison to start his sentence because his appeal to have his bail extended was denied.