The hit-and-run motorist who killed Southbroom jogger Carol Ann Tucker (47) was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment at the Port Shepstone Magistrate’s Court last Tuesday, May 12. However, her family are not happy and feel that the sentence is too light. They felt the court should have made more of an example of the driver.

Rakesh Omarpersadh (44), who owns an engineering company, was released on R10 000 bail at his second appearance in 2013. Mr Omarpersadh was on holiday with his family in Port Edward and was apparently returning to Port Edward from a nightclub in Margate on March 3, 2013, when the accident occurred.

He was sentenced by Port Shepstone Regional Court magistrate Nonesi Dlamini on the following seven counts; culpable homicide, defeating the administration of justice, failure to ascertain the nature and extent of any injury sustained by any person, fraud by submitting a false insurance claim, failure to stop the vehicle after an accident, failure to render assistance and failure to report an accident.
Eldo Maris (29), Carol’s son, said the family was not happy with the sentence.

“While we recognise that no amount of punishment will ever lessen the pain of my mother’s death or bring her back, this was a light sentence and Mr Omarpersadh should have received a longer sentence,” he said .

“Far too many people are taken away from us by hit-and-run drivers and the courts need to put a stop to it. If Mr Omarpersadh had stopped, maybe my mother would still be with us. He left her to die.”