Berbice accident court case scheduled for March

By Tracy Khan

AFTER witnessing the death of 12 persons in the most horrific way almost eight years ago, life has not been the same for the five survivors who are still haunted by the events of that day.

As I conclude my three-part series on the accident which sent shockwaves across Berbice and created heartache and unspeakable pain for many families, we will hear from the survivors who escaped with mere injuries that dreadful day.

Giving a first-hand account of what really occurred was Tameka Fraser, 31, a mother of five. She remembers vividly it was raining and how happy she was to be travelling with her younger sister and nephew to New Amsterdam to transact business when suddenly this truck came out of nowhere and crashed into the minibus which was carrying 17 passengers.

Tameka walked away with some scratches and bruises but lost two loved ones that day, her two-month-old nephew, Josiah Khan and her 21-year-old sister, Talitha Mendonca.
“It came to a stop. I came out in search of my sister and nephew and when I saw my sister I already knew she was dead, her head was hanging from a drain and it was just dripping… Anybody holding a baby would shake them and so I shook my nephew awhile and didn’t even know his brain and everything was out,” she said. “I end up naming one of my son, Josiah and most of the times when I deal with my son I wonder what my nephew would have been like, so it’s hard.”

She went on to defend the now dead minibus driver, Oudit Babulall, stating that he was in no way responsible for the accident.
“I can remember clearly telling my sister ‘girl what time we gon reach? this man driving real slow’ and she was like ‘we gon reach just now’ and shortly after that the accident happen,” she recalled.

Feona Singh was a 14-year-old student of Corentyne Comprehensive High on her way home when she almost lost her life. She is now 21 and is still learning to cope with the devastation and trauma that the accident caused.

“I remember when I was at Suzanne Village because I usually watch out at the window to know that I am close to home to tell the driver where to stop, but at the time it was raining and the bus wasn’t going speed, and then I looked back out and only remember waking up on the scene in a truck and I couldn’t get up because my hip and shoulders break,” the young woman recalled. “I’m glad I survived but it was hard at first because I was not able to go to school or walk. I don’t want justice for me but the persons who died because it’s not fair to kill 12 persons and just walk away.”

Sham ‘Chubby’ Jaggernauth, another survivor of Nigg, Corentyne, also defended the minibus driver. He lost his wife, Cindy, and was forced to raise their two children alone. He has still not moved on from that day.
“It’s a hard thing to lose your wife so long and not get justice, and that man hit everybody and he out on the road free and everybody else on stress, and now me children them without a mother,” he said.

Ashwatie ‘Debbie’ Singh was working on the minibus when the accident happened and was injured and hospitalised for several weeks. She lost her husband, Oudit Babulall, who was the driver. The couple made a living providing public transport with their minibus.

“The only thing I can remember is that I see this truck coming in front the bus and I heard a hard noise and then I became conscious, it was days later. I realise my husband was dead and couldn’t believe it, and I keep asking for my daughter because sometimes she does be in the bus and I was told she was safe,” the woman said.

We could not locate Nicola Ross of East Coast Demerara, the last survivor. The survivors are thankful for their lives but are calling for justice for those who did not make it that day.
This newspaper was told that the matter will finally come up in the New Amsterdam High Court in March 2018 before Justice Sandil Kissoon.
Relatives are happy about this update and hope to finally receive closure.