Letter and statement on Justice Singh car incident

Jun 18, 2016 Letters

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Dear Editor,

I write with reference to the private criminal charges laid against Justice Navindra Singh which was reported in your newspaper on June 16, 2016. I don’t know Gavwyn Smith or Navindra Singh and I hold no brief for either.  What I do know is this isn’t the first time Justice Singh is being accused of dangerous driving and conduct unbecoming a Judge of the High Court.
I was forced to engage the services of Mr. Nigel Hughes after receiving reports that on Jan 6, 2015 Justice Singh had allegedly driven in a dangerous manner so as to cause fear to a staff member (statement attached).  It was also alleged that Justice Singh did the following:
1) Demanded that my staff member stop and pull over.
2) Demanded the driver’s license of said employee.
3) Made death threats to the said employee.
Within a couple of hours policemen were at the home of the employee acting on a complaint from Justice Singh.  However, I guess wisdom prevailed and no further action was taken since the incident took place at Camp and Middle Sts and was captured by cameras at my place of business.  I was informed then that Justice Singh had acted similarly before. I believe a complaint should be directed to the Judicial Service Commission and that the Traffic Chief should immediately rebuff further attempts by Justice Singh to usurp the jurisdiction of his officers. Finally, I trust you will have the courage to publish my letter in full.  Please find below the statement of my employee
Terrance Campbell

Statement – I am the owner of motor vehicle PKK 1999
On Tuesday Jan 6, 2015 at around 8:30 A.M. , I entered my vehicle which was parked on the eastern parapet of the south bound carriage of Camp Street about seventy feet away from the corner of Camp and Middle Streets, Cummingsburg, Georgetown and off of the roadway. It was my intention to travel south along Camp Street.
After I started the car I looked backwards both in my rear view mirror and by actually turning around to look northwards along Camp Street to ascertain whether there was any oncoming traffic in the two lanes to my right.
I put on my right trafficator to indicate that I was moving off from a parked position into Camp Street. After I had ascertained that there was no traffic in the eastern side of the eastern lane of south bound carriage way of Camp Street and after I considered that it would be too dangerous a manoeuvre to enter the western lane of the south bound carriageway, I emerged from the parapet into the eastern lane of the south bound carriageway of Camp Street.
The traffic light was red at the time I entered the lane. I duly stopped at the traffic light in conformity with the signal. Behind me in the western lane of the said carriage way was a civilian SUV vehicle. When the light changed to green I drove south along Camp Street as I was unable to enter the western lane as there were several vehicles in that lane.
The same SUV which was behind me drove right up to my rear bumper and was tooting his horn loudly and repeatedly, as the road cleared I yielded for the vehicle to pass, the driver drove beside me and indicated to me that he wanted to turn left so I acknowledged him by slowing down to permit him to do so. The driver of the SUV ,justdrove his SUV aggressively and dangerously in front of my vehicle cutting me off causing me to stop in order to avoid a collision. I was forced to pull over in Camp Street between Quamina and Church Sts.
The driver then exited his vehicle leaving the door opened and started walking towards me. He tapped on my side window motioning for me to wind the window down and I did so, just enough that I could hear what this stranger wanted to say as I was apprehensive and fearful on seeing his aggressive posture.
The man said loudly and in an aggressive and harsh manner . “Give me your name and licence now” I sat there, no clue as to what was happening as the person was not uniformed and had no visibly means of identification. He repeated himself and I said “good morning”, ashe leaned his ear towards to me as if he did not hear what I said and I repeated “ good morning”.
He demanded “follow me to Brickdam Police Station now, you cut me off on de road? What is your registration number?”  He continued in an even more aggressive and threatening tone; “If you don’t drive behind me, I promise you, you gon die, I promise you” . I felt afraid, threatened and intimidated.
After he repeated those words once more he then turned and walked back to his vehicle. A few seconds after the light had changed to green, he continued along Camp and I turned east on Church St.
Around 13:00 hrs a police car came to my home with two officers who made no inquiries about the incident but proceeded to serve with a Notice of Intention to prosecute. I was never informed of any allegation of any traffic infraction before the Notice was served on me.
I was subsequently contacted by a Police Officer who requested that I attend the Police Traffic Headquarters Eve Leary. I attended the Traffic Headquarters with my Attorney at law, C.A. Nigel Hughes when I met Senior Police Officers who questioned me about the incident and acting on the advice of my Attorney at law, I undertook to submit a written statement. Dated this 7th day of January 2015. Signed -Onica Allen

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