Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton yesterday granted $300,000 bail to a 34-year-old father of three charged with driving a motor lorry in a dangerous manner that resulted in the death of Balwant Mangroo.
The Georgetown Magis-trates’ Court heard that on January 28, at Soesdyke, Deochan drove motor lorry GFF 2131 in a manner dangerous to the public thereby causing the death of 38-year-old Mangroo. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge when it was read to him.
It is also alleged that the accused failed to render assistance to Mangroo by taking him to a medical practitioner. Deochan is also accused of failing to stop his vehicle after the accident and failing to make a report to a police station or police constable within 24 hours of the accident. He pleaded not guilty to the latter three charges.
The prosecution did not present any facts on the matter to the court.
Deochan’s attorney, Hukumchand told the court that his client has no knowledge of the charges. He said that on the said night, Deochan, who is a truck driver, had been delivering feed to Bounty Farm, after which he drove home and “nothing happened.”
Hukumchand then said that on January 30, police accosted his client on his way back from delivering feed, and made the allegations to him, which he denied. He also told the court that he saw the truck which was driven by his client and there is no impression on it that would indicate that it had been involved in an accident.
According to the attorney, his client has been charged based on a statement a man claiming to be an eyewitness to the incident, made to police.
He said the man claimed that he saw Deochan hit Mangroo. Hukumchand told the court that the matter will be vigorously defended and that his client has been wrongfully charged.
After listening to the attorney’s application, Prosecutor Lionel Harvey told the court that based on the legal advice; he has no objection to bail.
Deochan was ordered to appear in Court One on February 10 for reports and fixtures.
