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108 years jail for trucker who killed 12 in 2010 C’tyne smashup
Jailed: Chetram Moonsammy
After eight long years the bereaved relatives of those whose lives were snatched on October 29, 2010 along the Susannah Village Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice have been given some comfort.
The man accused of causing the death of 12 persons was sentenced in the Berbice High Court to a total of 108 years.
Standing before Justice Brassington Reynolds was Chetram Moonsammy, 45, of Black Bush Polder. He was found guilty by a mixed jury for allegedly driving motor lorry GLL 8863 in a manner dangerous to the public, and causing the death of; Oudit Narine Babulall, Marques Ault, Nazaradin Mahinudin, Salmaa Razac, Orlando De Mattos, Janet Baker, Cindy Jaggernauth, Lalita Mendonza, Patricia Asgerally, Josiah Khan, Salima Juman–Dinmohamed and Chetram Ramphal.
He was found guilty on all twelve counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
Moonsammy was represented by Attorney-at-law Mursaline Bacchus. He will serve the sentences concurrently.
In Moonsammy’s unsworn statement he said that BHH 1842 had attempted to overtake another vehicle which led to it colliding with his truck.
In his defense of not guilty, he had said, that the accident and the death of the persons were not his fault.
Fifteen witnesses were called to the stand by state Prosecutor, Towana Hardy, with survivors Sham Jaggernauth, Tamika Fraser and Ashwantie Singh testifying. In their testimonies it was stated that they saw Moonsammy’s truck attempt to overtake another vehicle and subsequently slamming into the oncoming bus.
They stated that the weather was not satisfactory with the roads wet from the heavy downpour.
Government Pathologist Nehaul Singh, who carried out the post mortem on the victims had testified that the injuries sustained were consistent with a motor vehicle accident.
Bacchus, however, argued that they could not tell whether the bodies Singh examined were in the vehicle at the time of the collision.
Relatives of the victims had testified to identifying the bodies and witnessing the post mortem examinations. Their evidence was unchallenged by the defence.
Sergeant Forbes Brown in his testimony said that the bodies of victims were placed at the back of a police vehicle and escorted to New Amsterdam and that during the journey there were accidents that could have resulted in further injuries to the bodies.
Bacchus requested that his client be given a non-custodial sentence since he waited eight years for a trial.
Before handing down the sentence Justice Reynolds affirmed that a message must be sent and road users should be protected.
On the day of the accident it was a gory mess with body parts strewn about inside the twisted metal that was all that remained of the bus. Bodies were all over the road.
Eyewitnesses at the scene had reported that some of the passengers were decapitated.
Bodies were pulled from the canal and at one stage there were bodies lining the roadway. Moonsammy fled the scene after the accident but was later apprehended.
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