Magistrate Gordon Gilhuys was yesterday placed on self-bail on six traffic offences he allegedly committed while being involved in a motor accident earlier this month.
When he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, the 54-year-old magistrate pleaded not guilty to the charges of careless driving, being an unlicensed driver, failure to produce a driver’s licence, having an uninsured motor vehicle, having an uncertified motor vehicle and having an unlicensed motor vehicle, when they were read to him by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson.
It is alleged that on October 2 on Mandela Avenue, Magistrate Gilhuys was driving motorcar PLL 4282 when he committed the offences. He was represented by attorneys-at-law Vic Puran, Mark Waldron and Nigel Anthony.
Anthony stated that all the charges against their client should be dismissed since he is magistrate and a former member of the Guyana Police Force and the charges were for minor traffic offences. Anthony said also stated his client had in his possession all the valid documents concerning the motor vehicle that was involved in the accident, which were subsequently shown to the prosecution.
However, Prosecutor Denise Griffith, after viewing the documents informed the court that with the exception of the magistrate’s driver’s licence they were for a motor jeep, PLL 4582, and not for motorcar PLL 4282 which was involved in the accident.
She said a perusal of them revealed that the insurance for motor jeep had expired on September 26 and renewed on October 15, which meant that the insurance was updated after the accident. Griffith then reasoned that the magistrate had obviously been driving an uninsured vehicle on the day of the accident. The prosecution stated that at present the case should not be dismissed since the documents for the motorcar had not been produced.
However, the magistrate told the court that he had changed his licence number plate for security reasons. His lawyers then stated that the owner of the minibus who was involved in the accident did not wish to continue with the case.
The prosecution as well as Magistrate Gilhuys and his lawyers were then invited up to the magistrate’s bench for a brief discussion.
The prosecutor made no objections to bail but said she would seek further advice on the case from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Magistrate Robertson subsequently placed Magistrate Gilhuys on self-bail and ordered that he return to court on October 30 for a report.
