A School of the Nations student and a carpenter were yesterday charged with causing the death by dangerous driving of businessman Derek Mangal.
Appearing before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, Rajkumarie Ragoobar, 23, of 137 AA Eccles, East Bank Demerara, yesterday pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that she, on May 29, on Camp and Middle streets, Public Roads in Georgetown, drove motor car PPP 3751, in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Derek Mangal.
Meanwhile, also charged with the offence was Steven Cox, 24, of 55, Gordon Street, Kitty. Cox pleaded not guilty to his charge which read that on the same date and location, he drove PPP 9843 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Mangal.
Ragoobar’s lawyer Glenn Hanoman who requested that his client be placed on bail, argued that she is not a flight risk. He told the court that subsequent to the accident, the accused, who is a full-time student at the private institution, remained until the arrival of the police. Hanoman told the court that Ragoobar had been very co-operative with the police.
Meanwhile, Cox’s attorney who also requested bail, told the court that her client was the one who had called 911.
Police Prosecutor Arwin Moore, told the court that he had no objections to the two
being grant bail, provided that it was of a substantial amount. He also requested that as one of the conditions of the bail that Ragoobar and Cox report to the traffic office at Brickdam every fortnight. Moore also informed the court that the police’s file is incomplete as the post mortem report is outstanding.
Chief Magistrate McLennan, granted both Ragoobar and Cox, $450,000 bail each. Their matters were adjourned until June 21 for report.
Mangal, also known as ‘Branko,’ 45, of Lot 779 Block ‘X,’ Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, died on Monday morning after he was struck off his motorcycle by one of two vehicles which had collided, after both their drivers had reportedly failed to stop at the intersection of Camp and Middle streets, Georgetown.
The police, in a press release, had said that investigations had revealed that motor car PPP 9843 was proceeding north along the western carriageway, whilst motorcar PPP 3751 was proceeding west along Middle Street.
“As the vehicles approached the intersection both drivers failed to stop which resulted in the front of PPP 3751 colliding with the right side of PPP 9843, causing the latter to spin around and collide with Mangal, who was proceeding east along the northern side of Middle Street,” the police statement explained.
As a result of the impact, Mangal was pitched off his motorcycle. Mangal, who sustained injuries to his head and about his body, was subsequently taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
