– says defence attorney in case of two cousins killed last Sunday
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW Mr. Vic Puran yesterday claimed that Mahendranauth Singh, charged with causing the death of the two children on Tuschen Highway, East Bank Essequibo, had to use another lane to avoid killing more people.

Singh, 21, of 202 Industry Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, pleaded not guilty to four charges, one of which said, on August 16, at Tuschen Public Road, he drove motor car PLL 6744 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Amisha Alli and Ricky Kumar.

Particulars of another charge said, after the accident occurred, he failed to render assistance by taking the children to a medical practitioner for medical treatment.

The final charge said Singh failed to stop his vehicle after the accident occurred.

Police Inspector Denise Griffith, prosecuting, said Singh was speeding when he slammed into the children and even caused Alli’s head to be severed.

Based on information the Police received, Singh was arrested at Den Amstel after he drove away from the scene, she said.

According to her, Singh gave Police conflicting reports about how the accident occurred. She said on one occasion he told the officers that he tried to avoid hitting a bus; and on another, that he tried to avoid hitting other people.

Griffith said skid marks were evident on the road and that Singh never stopped his vehicle, but proceeded at such a rate of speed as to miss the Leonora Police Station.

She said the defendant was only caught after Police officers saw the vehicle with blood on it.

Griffith mentioned, too, that more caution needs to be exercised by drivers these days. She added that Singh had to be speeding for Alli’s head to come off completely.

His lawyer however told the court that the road his client was driving on is a straight one with no turning points.

He said the marking on the road of the point of impact is in the centre of the southern lane and if his client had maintained his lane, he would have killed eight people.

According to Puran, the children ran across the road from behind a parked vehicle, holding hands. When they noticed his client’s car approaching, they decided to run back to the side they were on. The lawyer explained that Singh slowed down after the accident but later decided to drive away because an angry crowd went up to his vehicle and threatened to take his life.

He also pointed out that there was no sign on the building to indicate that it is Leonora Police Station, and because his client was driving on the West Coast for the second time only, he missed the building.

Prosecutor Griffith rejoined that since he rarely travelled on that road, he should have exercised more care.

Singh was remanded to prison until August 25 at Leonora.

Twelve-year-old Alli known as Elana, of 25 Railway View Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara, and seven-year-old Kumar, of Parika, East Bank Essequibo, lost their lives in the accident.