DURBAN - Family of one of the cyclists killed by Omesh Ramnarain is upset at his latest bid for bail, asking him to “take responsibility for his actions”.
The Ramnarains announced publicly this week they would offer a reward of R10000 for information that would give them answers as to what happened on February 7, 2016 when Ramnarain crashed into Richard da Silva and Jared Dwyer, killing both cyclists.
However, Dwyer’s mother Lee was upset, saying: “We don’t even know if whatever information they get from the reward will be used in court, but the fact remains he must take responsibility for taking two lives. He knows he’s guilty.”
Da Silva’s family did not want to comment.
Ramnarain’s family said they merely wanted to find closure on the case, as they could not accept the 10-year sentence the 34-year-old had been handed down last month, and wanted to find any information that could help overturn his conviction and sentencing.
A tense weekend lies ahead for the family, as on Monday they will hear whether Ramnarain will be released on bail, pending the outcome of an appeal against his conviction.
“It’s been very, very tough on his parents. They are not coping well with what’s happened. The whole family stands by each other, and by Omesh, to get through this. We are just hoping for the best and leaving it in God’s hands,” said Ramnarain’s uncle, Ron Gopi, yesterday.
Ramnarain, driving in his black Golf GTI, had left a nightclub in the early hours of the morning on February 7, and was on the M4 northern freeway heading out of the city, when he crashed into Da Silva and Dwyer, who were riding at the back of a group of cyclists.
Ramnarain was convicted on two counts of culpable homicide, and sentenced to five years in jail for each count in the Durban Magistrate’s Court, and the sentences are to run consecutively. He was granted leave to appeal his conviction and sentence.
He was not convicted on a charge of drunk driving.
In support of his appeal, his family said they hoped to gather more evidence to show that Ramnarain did not cause the accident.
“There was a rock that was found in his car after the accident. Only in the late stages of the trial did one of the witnesses, who was a cyclist, say that she saw two men running away from the scene. The pieces of the puzzle fell together then. A rock was thrown at him and that’s why he crashed into the cyclists. We have been trying for so long to understand what happened, because he is a good person, he is not a criminal to go out and intentionally knock someone,” said Gopi.
He added that their family sympathised with the families of Da Silva and Dwyer.
“We feel for them. They have lost their son, and in a way Omesh’s parents have also lost a son due to him being in prison. They are not taking it well, and we just want him to be home while he takes his case on appeal,” said Gopi.
“We know that it may be a needle in a haystack, but we are hoping someone saw something and will come forward, especially the driver of the car in front of Omesh, or the guys seen running away. We want to find closure on this matter.”
In his sentencing, magistrate Anand Maharaj said: “The loss of lives on South African roads beggars belief. There must come a time when the mindsets of drivers, pedestrians, cyclists need to change. Importantly, it’s the driver that bears the brunt of the final responsibility.”
Ramnarain, just before sentencing in May, took the stand and apologised to the families, and asked for their forgiveness.
“I am very sorry. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me,” he said.
Gopi said if anyone had information on the case, to call 0836871237.