Melissa Ramgopal with her late husband Nitesh and son, Nihaan.
Image: Supplied
MORE than a year after the tragic death of her husband, Melissa Ramgopal is still searching for answers and justice in the wake of a devastating car accident that left her family shattered.
Nitesh Ramgopal, 42, a panel beater, died on February 23, last year following a car accident in Phoenix.
According to his wife, the events leading up to his death started with a routine invitation to have a drink at a relative’s home.
“My husband received a call from one of our family members, calling him to their father-in-law’s house to have a drink. That was the last that I saw him. It was around 2 o’clock that Sunday.”
What happened next remains unclear.
She said she later learned that her husband had joined relatives in a vehicle shortly before the crash.
“One of my family members owns a security company. She was driving the car, while her husband and Nitesh were passengers. There was apparently alcohol in the vehicle."
The devastating news came soon after.
“I received a call from my uncle stating that my husband was involved in an accident. When I received that call, I did not believe it. So I told my mother to call her sister and find out if it is true.”
Melissa, accompanied by her mother and sister, rushed to the scene.
“When I got there, my husband was already lying on the floor with a foil over him,” she said.
“Nobody told me what was going on and then all of a sudden, the foil picked up. When I saw my husband’s legs, I knew that he had passed away.”
The two other occupants, survived the crash and were taken to hospital. Melissa said she was later told that one of them had been driving when the vehicle overturned multiple times.
“Apparently, the car flipped three times, causing my husband’s neck to break. He passed away instantly. He was stuck in the car, and the jaws of life had to be used to take him out.”
Melissa claimed that progress in the investigation had been painfully slow.
“I went to the investigating officer at the SAPS in Phoenix, and when I asked t what was going on with my husband’s case, they said they did not get any statements. They were waiting for the two survivor’s to give statements. He said they were not well.”
Now, more than a year later, she said little has changed.
“It has been so long now, nothing has been done. I feel like SAPS are doing nothing. It is like only when I go to them, then they start working on the case again. They are still waiting for mortuary reports.”
Her grief is compounded by the challenges of raising their young son alone. The couple had been married for 15 years before welcoming their child under difficult medical circumstances.
“I am a single mom. My son was six years old when my husband passed away. Due to my health, my husband asked me to leave work. He was the sole supporter in our home.”
She described the emotional toll on their child as devastating.
“My son cries every day for his father. He asks for his father, and it is heartbreaking. It is so hard. I still cannot believe that my husband passed away. I am still waiting for him to come back.”
Remembering Ramgopal as a kind and gentle man, she says his sudden death has left family and friends in shock.
“He had a very good heart. He never fought with anybody, never argued with anybody. He was absolutely a good person. He even sent voice notes to people just minutes before the accident. He was a good soul.”
Now, her focus is on accountability.
“All I want is justice for him and to get closure on this case. I am appealing to the public and authorities for help.
“I am pleading for help. Anybody out there who can assist me, please help me get closure. I would really appreciate it. I just hope I get justice for him,” she said.