A ROUTE 42 minibus driver was on Tuesday sentenced to two years in jail for causing the death of an elderly pedal cyclist along with the Herstelling, East Bank Demerara road last September.

Seekumar Singh, 45, of Soesdyke Back Road, East Bank Demerara, after a trial before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, was found guilty of driving minibus BLL 4749 in a manner dangerous to the public and thus causing the death of 66-year-old Basil Rambarran, on September 19.

According to reports, on the day in question at about 16:45 hrs, Singh was proceeding south in his vehicle BLL 4639. Rambarran who was riding a bicycle allegedly rode across the road and the minibus crashed into him. He fell onto the roadside and sustained multiple injuries to the body and was later pronounced dead at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.

The driver of the minibus was administered a breathalyser test and was reportedly found to have exceeded the legal alcohol limit.

The Chief Magistrate in her ruling pointed out that she disbelieved Singh’s defence, since he had attempted to paint a picture to the court that he was not responsible for causing the accident and the pedal cyclist rode into his minibus.

Magistrate McLennan further stated that Singh failed to proceed with caution which resulted in the accident thus causing Rambarran to receive injuries and later succumb. Rambarran died from a ruptured heart, liver, spleen and several broken bones.