A FORMER serving member of the Guyana Defence Force was Friday sentenced to 12 months jail by City Magistrate Judy Latchman for dangerous driving.

Lance Corporal Zamani Archibald, of Manchester, Berbice was initially charged with causing the death of Harry Persaud, called “Saw doctor”, on March 11, 2017 on the Soesdyke Public Road, East Bank Demerara while driving motor pickup DFB 1566 in a dangerous manner.
However, the charge was dropped to the lesser count of manslaughter, and the magistrate found sufficient evidence to convict Archibald on the charge of dangerous driving.

Archibald was represented by Attorney at law, Leslie Sobers and the matter was prosecuted by Assistant Superintendent of Police, Vishnu Hunt.
According to reports, at around 10:30hrs on the day in question, Archibald was driving motor pick up DFB 1566 south along the Soesdyke Public Road when he struck down Persaud in the vicinity of the Rubis Gas Station.
At the time, Persaud was reportedly towing his one-year-old granddaughter on a bicycle when he swerved unexpectedly in front of the pickup and was hit.

He was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The toddler, on the other hand, was referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital with a fractured shoulder and lacerations to her hand and head.