Truck driver charged for accident that left Traffic Chief injured

Last Updated on Tuesday, 9 April 2024, 17:22 by Written By Denis Chabrol

The driver of a truck belonging to an Indian construction company, which slammed into a police vehicle and injured the current Guyana Police Force’s Traffic Chief, Superintendent Mahendra Singh last year, has been charged with dangerous driving.

The driver, 29-year old Romel Benjamin of  15 Lovely Lass Village West Coast Berbice, was charged and arraigned on January 10, 2024, five months after the accident on August 2, 2023 on the Friendship Public Road, East Bank Demerara.

Superintendent Singh, who was at the time Commander of Region Four sub-division 4(b), was injured seriously in the accident that occurred at about 6:15 AM.

Police said the truck, bearing licence number GAE 38 and owned Ashoka Buildcon Limited of GUYSUCO Compound, La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara, slammed into the Police Force’s pickup whose licence number is PAC 5254. Ashoka Buildcon Limited has been contracted to build a road from Ogle, East Coast Demerara to Eccles, East Bank Demerara.

Mr Benjamin was remanded to prison after he pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him by Diamond Magistrate Judy Latchman. However, he was granted GY$50,000 bail when he appeared in court a second time on February 8, 2024.

Evidence was taken at the latest court hearing on April 8, 2024. The case continues on May 10, 2024.