Andrew Alder was on Wednesday brought before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a causing-death-by-dangerous-driving charge and chose to give an unsworn statement.
He will know his fate on January 24.
The 59-year-old, of West Ruimveldt, was charged with causing the death of Denesh Bissoon, on March 6, 2016, at Houston Access Road.
Alder reportedly drove motor car PMM 3981 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Bissoon.
Andrew Alder
Chief Magistrate McLennan ruled that based on the evidence given by the prosecution witnesses, she was satisfied that a prima facie case has been made out against the defendant.
Alder was then given an opportunity to give his side of the story, and he chose to give an unsworn statement.
Alder told the court that on the day of the incident, he was headed to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) around 06:30h and was driving south down the said access road when the motorcycle, belonging to the now deceased who was coming from the north, collided with his vehicle.
The defendant, who was struggling to stand as a result of injuries sustained during the accident, relayed that Bissoon collided with the driver’s side of the vehicle.
“I didn’t expect that the dead man would drive over to my side,” he explained.
According to Alder, he stopped and was then approached by some officers who were patrolling the road at the time and was made to park his vehicle along the corner of the road.
He said that his keys were taken away and he was escorted to the Ruimveldt Police Station.
Bissoon, who was at the time still lying on the roadway in an unconscious state, was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed while receiving treatment.
The Chief Magistrate was told by the defendant that from what he saw, no investigation was carried out at the scene of the crime, and, as such, he was being wrongfully accused of negligence.
Chief Magistrate McLennan told the defendant after his testimony that his fate will be known on January 24, after the defence makes its closing arguments.
