…Unlicensed minibus driver remanded

A 24-year-old unlicensed driver was on Monday charged with causing the death of a woman following a minibus accident on the Land of Canaan Public Road, East Bank Demerara last Friday.

Ronald Balgobin called “Randy,” made an appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Monday to answer to the charge of causing death by dangerous driving.
Particulars of the charge allege that Balgobin, on April 13 at Land of Canaan Public Road, East Bank Demerara, drove minibus BWW 4542 in a dangerous manner resulting in the death of Mohan.

The unrepresented man denied the charge as he stood in the prisoner’s docks with cuts and bruises about his body.
Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to the defendant being released on bail on the grounds that he was facing other similar offences.

Mansfield further explained that Balgobin gave his name as “Seeram Singh.”
The magistrate ruled in the prosecution’s favour and remanded Balgobin to prison until May 7.

Balgobin was then taken before Magistrate Renita Singh to answer to three other charges: driving without a motor vehicle licence, giving false information to the police and driving an uninsured motor vehicle.
He denied the charges and was granted $75,000 on all of the charges.

The Guyana Chronicle had earlier reported that the minibus driver of Sophia, Georgetown, was proceeding south on the East Bank Public Road reportedly at a fast rate, when he lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a turn. The minibus turned-turtle and crashed into an electrical pole.

The driver and passengers were taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where Mohan was pronounced dead on arrival. Two passengers were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and admitted.