Seon Greene, a driver employed by the Ministry of the Presidency was yesterday sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison after he was found guilty of causing the death of cyclist Mohammed Khan in 2015.
Greene’s attorney Peter Hugh made known to the court his intention to appeal the decision and requested that bail be granted to his client in the interim. The request was, however, objected to by the prosecution and bail was denied by Magistrate Judy Latchman.
Greene, a husband and father of two young children, was in July 2015 charged with causing the death of Khan on May 31, 2015, at Sandy Babb and Railway streets, Kitty as a result of driving his car HC 4276 in a manner dangerous to the public.
He had pleaded not guilty and was placed on $2 million bail by the court.
When Greene led his defence, he testified that he had not hit the deceased, but instead, Khan had hit his vehicle from the left side. He recalled that it had been dark and raining slightly, but his headlights were on. The impact occurred just as he neared Sandy Babb and Railway streets.
Seven witnesses were called by the prosecution, including Constable Kelvin LaFleur.
In ruling, Magistrate Latchman stated that she had chosen to find La Fleur a credible witness, and believed him when he stated that Greene confessed, “Officer, I really didn’t see him.” She further stated that she believed the defendant had been travelling between lanes at the time of the accident and had been inattentive to the road, which was why he made such a statement.
The magistrate noted that she did not believe Greene when he said Khan collided with his vehicle, but believed instead that Khan was hit, causing him to land 19ft, 4in from the point of impact. According to the post-mortem examination report, Khan had suffered cerebral haemorrhaging as a result of blunt trauma to the head.
She also believed La Fleur’s claim that the defendant told him the deceased had suffered no injuries on the way to the hospital, showing that whatever injuries were sustained from the impact had led to Khan’s death.
It was on these grounds that she found the defendant guilty as charged.
Magistrate Latchman said her ruling was determined by several considerations, including that a life was lost, the need to prohibit others from committing such an offence, and the need to promote road safety. She therefore imposed the 4 years, 6 months sentence.
