(Trinidad Express) A husband and his wife who were both found driving the same car under the influence of alcohol mere moments apart on the same day, appeared before the court.
Retired taxi driver Ramundar Shucoon-Singh, 61, and his wife Hayma Mohammed, 49, both of Freeport, faced Chaguanas magistrate Nikolas Ali on Monday.
In the case of the husband, the court was told that at 9.10 p.m. last Friday, he was involved in a road traffic accident in the Freeport area.
Police found his speech was slurred and the scent of alcohol was on his breath and he told them he had been drinking puncheon and water. Breathlayser test showed he had a reading of 119 microgrammes. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
A short while later, police returned to the scene and took his wife into custody after she was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol. She had a reading of 189 microgrammes.
Shucoon-Singh and Mohammed were charged by corporal Umaid.
The mater was prosecuted by Sgt Toussaint.
Defence attorney Shiva Boodoo told the court that after Shucoon-Singh got into the accident and the police took him to the police station, Mohammed began getting threats to move the car or it would be burnt.
The couple’s six and seven-year-old sons were present and traumatized. He said Mohammed drove about 25 feet and, unaware that the wheel of the car was damaged, veered into a vehicle, causing a minor accident. He said it was then police officers were again called to the scene. Mohammed and the children were taken to the Freeport police station.
Boodoo said it was the first time the couple had ever appeared in court.
Ali fined Shucoon-Singh $7,000. He was given three months to pay the money or serve three months in prison.
Mohammed was placed on a $5,000 bond to keep the peace for three years.