FOUR months after 26-year-old Bunata Sugrim was struck down and killed by a motorcar while standing in front of a gas station at Friendship, East Bank Demerara (EBD), a 65-year-old man was on Tuesday arraigned at the Providence Magistrates’ Court.
Desmond Chester of Friendship Squatting Area, EBD, appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman and pleaded not guilty to three charges.

The first charge alleges that Chester on October 5, 2019, at Friendship, EBD, drove motor car PMM 637 in a dangerous manner to the public which resulted in Sugrim’s death.
He was also charged for failure to stop after the accident and failure to render assistance.
Magistrate Latchman released Chester on $1M bail for the first charge and a total of $40,000 on the two latter charges. He will return to court on February 17, 2020
According to reports, on the day in question Sugrim was standing in front of a gas station along the Friendship Public Road, EBD, when she was struck by motor car PMM 637, which was being driven by Chester.

It is alleged that at the time Chester was speeding south along the said public road and tried to overtake another vehicle but ended up colliding with Sugrim, who was standing at the side of the road.

As a result of the impact, Sugrim was flung several feet away and then landed on the parapet. Chester attempted to flee the scene but collided with two other cars.
Sugrim was picked up in an unconscious state and was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.