An inquest is to be held in the Coldingen Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD) accident on February 17 that claimed the life of a pregnant woman, Bibi Mohammed and and left her sister seriously injured.
According to Commander of Regional division 4’C’, Senior Superintendent Khali Pareshram, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has advised an inquest be held into the Coldingen Public Road accident.
The dead’s woman mother, Ruqayyah Mohammed told the Sunday Stabroek that she was informed by the police of the advice given by the DPP. Ruqayyah said that since the incident it has been hard for her family especially, the sister, Maria Mohammed who survived the accident.
The mother explained that Maria is doing fine when it comes to her health, but sometimes she experiences problems when she stands for a long time. Ruqayyah added that the family is hoping that justice will be served in this matter of Bibi’s death, as they have noted that the driver to date, hasn’t taken any responsibility for his actions.
Seventeen-year-old Bibi and her sister were riding an electric bike when it was involved in an accident. Bibi was six months pregnant at the time.
Maria was towing her sister when a lorry struck them from behind throwing them off the bike. The truck then ran over Bibi’s foot as she lay on the road, subsequently severing her leg, while Maria sustained a serious puncture wound. Ruqayyah related that Maria said she was riding the electric bike at a slow speed in the corner of the road.
Ruqayyah noted that Bibi was alive when she was placed in the ambulance, however she later succumbed at the Georgetown Public Hospital while Maria was treated for her injuries.
The emotional mother said she attempted to speak to the driver to find out what happened as he offered no assistance to her daughters while they were injured. It was left to public-spirited persons to help place them in the ambulance.
She recalled the driver telling her that “he parked and me daughters run into him,” which she thought to be untrue, because if her daughter had run into him, as he claimed, the front of the electric bike would have struck the truck.
She also related that she overheard him telling the police, “When he ran over the thing he stopped,” however, she hastened to point out, “that’s when he ran over my baby foot.”
According to a police report, enquiries revealed that the lorry, GRR 3130, was proceeding north along the Coldingen Public Road when the driver alleged that he approached the main road, stopped and observed the traffic before going onto the access road.
The police related that the driver, Rickford Beckles, 67, of Annandale, ECD, said that when he drove off, he felt his lorry “bump up.” As a result he came out of the lorry to investigate and saw two girls lying on the road next to an electric bicycle.
