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Three year-old crushed by minibus, driver freed
Dead 3 year-old Arial Sahoy
The dead child’s mother Sheliza Sahoy
A man who was accused of causing the death of a three-year-old girl by dangerous driving, almost a year ago in full view of her mother, walked out of the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court a free man.
On Tuesday last, Magistrate Nyasha Williams-Hatmin, dismissed a charge of dangerous driving against Andrew Cameron. Cameron was charged in March 2009 with driving minibus BGG 9297 in a manner dangerous to the public, causing the death of three-year-old Arial Sahoy, of Tuschen Access Road, East Bank Essequibo.
Cameron’s lawyer, Lyndon Amsterdam, submitted that the charge should be dismissed against his client because the prosecution had failed to prove that the man drove the minibus dangerously, causing the death of the child.
The magistrate supported that submission, leaving the dead child’s relative in utter shock and more grief.
The Magistrate, in her ruling, stated that there was clear evidence of negligence on the part of the driver, who should have ensured that the child – who he had transported and who had disembarked from his vehicle – had crossed the road or entered the yard before he attempted to drive off.
She said that a different charge should have been instituted by the police based on the facts that were available to them. Hence she dismissed the case. Cameron was previously placed on $250,000 bail and had his licence suspended on April 2, 2009.
On February 9, 2009, Cameron dropped off Arial Sahoy in front of her home. After the door of the bus was closed, he attempted to drive off the vehicle, when he heard screams coming from Arial’s mother, Sheliza Sahoy, and other persons.
Cameron immediately stopped the vehicle and persons came and pushed the bus off the child, who had been crushed. The infant was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Cameron was contracted by several parents to transport school children.
The recent decision by the court is not sitting well with the child’s parents who are of the view that the case fell through because of sloppy work by the investigating police ranks.
The dead child’s mother said that she is not pleased with what happened in the court since her daughter’s killer is now a free man. The woman pointed out that during the initial stages of the trial she had to take it upon herself to ensure that her daughter’s name was spelt correctly on the case docket.
Mrs. Sahoy said that the lawyer who was representing Cameron had raised the issue of the child’s identity since the name the police submitted was different from what was on the child’s birth and death certificates.
“I had to take my daughter’s death certificate to the court to have (the name) changed because the lawyer was trying to use that to have the case dismissed.”
The woman added that if the police had done better groundwork maybe justice would have been served.
“The Magistrate was right. The driver was negligent but the police just charge him with dangerous driving…We don’t blame the magistrate; we know she had to work with what the police gave to her.”
What is more painful for the family is the fact that they have been made to endure torment by the man who killed their daughter.
“Ever since the accident when this man come through the street he does blow he horn and deh laughing…after we saw him driving we ask the police how come he still driving and he said his licence was taken away but even after that he was still driving.”
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