THE driver of the Route 31 minibus which was involved in an accident resulting in the demise of four persons at Nismes on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD), on Wednesday appeared in court charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

Compton Bharrat, 35, of La Retraite, WBD, appeared before Magistrate Christel Lambert at the Wales Magistrate’s Court and pleaded not guilty to the four charges.

Particulars of the charge allege that Bharrat on November 30, 2019, at Nismes,WBD, drove minibus BYY 2981 in a dangerous manner, which resulted in the death of four persons.
The deceased are 29-year-old Ayesha Sealey of Patentia Housing Scheme; 12-year old Maria Bisnauth of 125 Sideline Dam in Sister’s Village; 52-year old Rawle Glen of Canal Number One and 22-year-old Zavira Jona of Patentia, all of West Bank Demerara.

Bharrat was granted $400,000 bail and will return to court on March 13, 2020.
On December 13, 2019, Bharrat was charged before Magistrate Zamilla Ally at the Wales Magistrate’s Court for the breach of his insurance, failing to render assistance and failing to report the accident. He was released on a total of $120,000 bail.

According to reports, on November 30, 2019, the Route 31 minibus BYY 2981, crashed into motor car PTT 691, a Toyota Premio, at around 19:00hrs as the car was exiting the D&L Gas Station.

Persons on the scene reported that the mini-bus was heading north on the western carriageway when the car exited the D&L Gas Station and ended up in the path of the minibus as he attempted to turn south into the eastern carriageway. The mini-bus was said to have been speeding.

Four persons died while several others received injuries.

The accident sent shockwaves throughout the country as it had added to a series of road fatalities during that period.