Convicted fraudster and former Richmark Holdings managing director Jayson Desiga Ramsammy has suffered yet another crushing blow, this time at the Constitutional Court, which has dismissed his urgent application.
In a judgement delivered by a full panel of justices, the apex court ruled that Ramsammy’s application falls outside its jurisdiction, refusing both his bid to put his leave-to-appeal matter on hold and his attempt to secure direct access to the court.
He had approached the Constitutional Court seeking relief under a two-part application.
In Part A, he wanted the court to place his leave-to-appeal application “in abeyance” while he pursued a review in the high court. In Part B, he asked for direct leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court should Part A fail.
“The court has concluded that the matter does not engage the jurisdiction of the court,” the order reads. “Consequently, the relief sought in Parts A and B cannot be granted, and leave to appeal must be refused.”
He also sought permission to file a replying affidavit, which the court found unnecessary, ruling that no proper case had been made for such an affidavit.
“Leave to file a replying affidavit must be refused,” the order adds.
The final order dismissed both the request to suspend his appeal proceedings and the application for direct access.
Ramsammy first made headlines after being convicted in July 2024 by the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court on three counts of fraud.
The state proved that he orchestrated a R28-million scam, funnelling company money into a service provider account through fraudulent invoices for services that were never rendered.
The charge stems from a case opened as far back as May 2016, following an intensive Hawks investigation into financial irregularities at Richmark Holdings. After his conviction, the court sentenced him to eight years’ direct imprisonment.
He then turned to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), pleading for leave to challenge both conviction and sentence. But in March this year, the SCA delivered an equally damning outcome:
It granted condonation for late filing but dismissed the appeal outright, stating there were no reasonable prospects of success” and no compelling reason to hear the matter.
The SCA further ordered that Ramsammy must report back to prison within 72 hours of the judgement, unless he approached the Constitutional Court. That route has now ended in failure.
Beyond the criminal conviction, Ramsammy is still entangled in several civil suits lodged by Richmark Holdings, relating to alleged financial misconduct and breach of fiduciary duties during his tenure. These civil matters are ongoing and could expose him to further financial liability.
With the Constitutional Court decision now final, Ramsammy has exhausted his last meaningful avenue of appeal, leaving his eight-year prison term intact and his civil legal battles still looming.
