Sixteen years after a mechanic fatally knocked down a man who allegedly robbed him, a coroner has ordered the police to charge him with causing death by dangerous driving.
The order was given by San Fernando Coroner Lisa Singh-Phillip at the end of an inquest into the 2004 incident in which Maniram Ramesh, 38, struck Ryan Rampersad with his car.
Rampersad suffered head injuries and died two days later at the hospital.
Finding that a prima facie case had been made out on Monday, the coroner ordered a warrant of apprehension for Ramesh to appear before a magistrate to answer the charge.
Singh-Phillip enforced bail on the warrant in the sum of $100,000 with his wife as surety.
Back in 2004, the police had charged Ramesh with causing Rampersad’s death by dangerous driving and he appeared in court.
But, in 2006 the prosecutor offered no evidence in the matter and requested an inquest.
As a result, then Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington discharged Ramesh.
The inquest began almost two years ago.
Attorney Subhas Panday represented Ramesh while attorney Kevin Ratiram represented the interest of the estate of Rampersad.
Ramesh, of Tarouba, did not give evidence. But the coroner considered the statement he gave to the police as well as several others, including the statement of Anthony Smith who was also injured that night. Smith was with Rampersad at the time of the incident on October 24, 2004, in Gasparillo.
Smith testified that they saw Ramesh’s car parked on the side of the road and they knocked on the glass to inquire if he was okay.
They then left. But, Ramesh stated in his statement that Rampersad and Smith entered his car and robbed him.
Ramesh claimed he was driving in the direction the men headed when they ran in front of his car.
Ramesh claimed he became fraid and knocked them down.
The coroner found that Insp Collin John’s evidence that Ramesh’s belongings were found in Rampersad’s possession corroborated Ramesh’s claim that the men were in his car.
In his submissions, Ratiram argued that Ramesh did not act in self-defence but rather it was a “revenge killing.”
He submitted that Ramesh should be charged with manslaughter.