Durban - Durban businessman Rajiv Narandas claims to have turned over a new leaf after brushes with the law, saying on Wednesday his temper levels were now “almost zero” and that he had no more energy to fight.
The 26-year-old one-time socialite is celebrating his newfound freedom, of sorts, after completing a three-year correctional service sentence for attempted murder early - thanks to a special remission of sentences granted to convicts by President Jacob Zuma in April last year.
Narandas and three of his friends - Jenaide Charles, Samuel Parusnath and Avishkar Jagganath - were sentenced in 2011 for the attempted murder of Lance Moodley, the son of Durban businessman and racehorse owner Roy Moodley, in 2008.
Narandas said they had their sentences halved, serving only one year and six months.
But, he is not out of the woods yet, as a murder trial still hangs over his head. He is expected to appear in April in a Johannesburg court where he is facing a charge of murder for allegedly fatally stabbing a 31-year-old man, Veenand Singh, outside the Shoukara night club on July 13, 2008, when he was 21.
In the 2011 matter, Durban magistrate, Blessing Msani, found the State had proved that the four had assaulted Moodley and threatened to kill him during a fight at Blue Lagoon in Durban. Parusnath was also found guilty of malicious damage to property for throwing a brick at Moodley’s car.
However, before sentencing in September of that year, Moodley’s father Roy pleaded with the magistrate not to send them to jail, saying they had since reconciled with his son. He said prison was not the best option for them.
Msani agreed, ruling that correctional supervision was suitable, because the parties had made peace.
The correctional supervision sentence had included: house arrest; 16 hours of community service a month; submitting to various rehabilitation programmes; refraining from the use of alcohol and drugs and from leaving KwaZulu-Natal without consent.
“I’ve been through a great deal in the past five years,” said Narandas, who has also taken up bodybuilding. “I’ve been to court over 100 times. Whether guilty or not, this is not something I want to repeat. I’m now very focused on work and my training. I’m happy with the straight path I’m on.”
To celebrate the completion of his sentence, Narandas said he went to dinner with a friend last Friday. “It felt different to be out at night without worrying (about conditions of my sentence),” he said. “It felt good.”
He also made his final trip to the Department of Correctional Services offices on Friday to sign the relevant documentation.
Narandas told the Daily News about a positive change to his life.
“My lifestyle has changed from a night life to a morning life,” he said, referring to the terms of his house arrest and community service. Initially, because the four friends were considered high risk, they were under house arrest from 5pm until 7am in the week, for a year. This was later relaxed to 7pm until 7am.
“On Saturdays I was allowed to work until 5pm and on Sundays I had free time from 12pm to 4pm to go to the mall or the beach,” he said.
Community service, he said, would sometimes consist of cleaning the Correctional Services offices in the CBD or day trips to disadvantaged areas and facilities in need of painting or donations.
Narandas said he was only allowed to enter a night club for work purposes and each time he had to go to Johannesburg for his murder case, he had to make an application to Correctional Services, indicating his flight schedules, accommodation, court dates and times and for a letter to be stamped by the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court.
He said he no longer drank or smoked because of his bodybuilding. “Life is different now. I feel very strong and positive,” he said, adding in jest: “All I need now is a wife to make my life complete.”
Narandas said he had apologised to Lance face to face for his actions.
While he is still good friends with Charles, Parusnath and Jagganath, he said they had gone on different paths. They had had different correctional supervisors and had chosen different dates for their community service.
Moodley senior said he hoped the sentences had instilled fear in the four and would act as a deterrent, so that they could move on with their lives.
Daily News