by Elena Chong
AN INDIAN national who caused the deaths of four passengers when
he rammed his lorry into a parked trailer in Tuas two years ago,
was jailed for 30 months on Tuesday.
Ramaiah Raja, 32, will be banned from driving for 15 years, upon
his release from prison.
He pleaded guilty to causing the deaths of colleagues Rabiul
Alam Shorab Hossein, 25, Mahbub Mofizur Rahman, 34, Aowlad Hossain
Abul Hossain, 25, all Bangaldeshi nationals, and Pitchaiah
Govindaraj, 30, an Indian national, by doing a rash act along Gul
Road on May 18, 2009. He had failed to keep a proper lookout and
was travelling at a speed of 87kmh - which exceeded the 50kmh-limit
- when he hit the rear right side of a stationary prime mover
attached with a trailer at about 4.05am.
Ramaiah, then a marine trades worker with Hi-Tech NDT Inspection
Services, was ferrying nine people to work at Keppel FELS nearby
when the accident happened. Three men died on the spot while the
other died in hospital.
Ramaiah, now unemployed, and five others were injured. Two other
charges of causing grievous hurt and causing hurt by doing an act
so rashly as to endanger life, were taken into consideration during
his sentencing.
District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim said this was one of the worst
cases of rash acts. Ramaiah could have been jailed for up to five
years and fined for causing death by doing a rash act.