– Magistrate chastised Police rank for failure to properly institute the relevant charges
A welder/ fabricator, hailing from Enterprise, East Coast Demerara appeared before Magistrate Haymant Ramdhani at the Mahaicony Magistrates’ court on Monday last to answer the charge of driving under the influence.
It was alleged that on May 1st 2010, at around 19:00 hrs,  Mohammed Ali drove motor vehicle HB 8704 east along the Cove and John public road  in a dangerous manner, resulting in him striking down a pedal cyclist, colliding with a parked ‘Hymac’  Excavator  and then, miraculously, drove away.
Police subsequently pursued Mohammed and – when he was caught – conducted a breathalyzer test on him when it was discovered that the alcohol level in his blood was way above the legal limit. He was immediately arrested and charged.
According to Prosecutor, Sgt. Joel Ali, the permissible alcohol blood level by law is said to be that of 0.035%, but in Mohamed’s case it was 0.261%.
The unrepresented and visibly shaken teary-eyed father of one, who resided at lot 444 Church Street, Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, stood motionless as the charge was read to him.
When asked to plea, the defendant pleaded guilty to the offence and was then admonished by Magistrate Ramdhani who told the defendant that,  as a father,  he needs to be more responsible and must be held accountable for his actions.
Nonetheless, Ali was subsequently granted $20,000  bail by the magistrate who stressed that the offences warrant  two charges,  and by law, the defendant should have  been charged with two separate offences, rather that consolidating  the two as one.
The Magistrate chastised the Police rank that had charged Mohammed, adding that he should have known or be guided on how to properly institute the charges.
The prosecutor then indicated to the court that the matter is still an ongoing investigation and the charges would be reviewed.
The matter was then transferred to the Cove and John Magistrates’ Court  on Tuesday.