Having been charged with various traffic offences, three motorists have been ordered to pay fines totalling $600,000 or serve time in prison. Rupert Castello of Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara, and Jamal Byass of Dukestown Corentyne, Berbice, were arraigned at the Georgetown and Springland Magistrates’ Courts respectively. Castello, who was charged with five offences back in May, was found guilty of them following a trial before Magistrate Clive Nurse on Thursday.
Jailed: Collis Whyte
The offences are five counts of dangerous driving, untidy driver, breach of condition of road service licence, motor vehicle causing obstruction; failing to exhibit revenue licence and fitness certificate, failing to produce driver’s licence, conduct of driver, resisting arrest, and failing to stop when directed by a Police rank. He was fined a total of $360,000 and given until Monday to pay the sum.
In the meantime, he has been remanded to prison. Meanwhile, Byass pleaded guilty to five counts of failing to stop when directed by a Police Constable, five counts of driving a motorcycle without wearing a helmet, and two counts of carrying a pillion rider without a safety helmet. The Magistrate fined him a total of $55,000 or in default two weeks’ imprisonment.
Earlier this week, Collis Whyte of 743 D Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, the bus driver who is serving 12 months in jail for chasing a traffic cop with a cutlass, was fined a total of $185,000 for varying traffic violations. He was also given the alternative to serve jail time. He, too, was on trial before Magistrate Clive Nurse. He was convicted of two counts of dangerous driving, failing to give the right of way, conduct of driver, failing to wear a face mask, and breach of conduct of prescribed fitness.
Whyte was further charged with resisting Police arrest, disorderly behaviour, having an offensive weapon, use of indecent language, and threatening behaviour. To these charges, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to imprisonment by Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
On April 20, Police Constable Edwin Connelly was on a motorcycle patrol proceeding west on Homestretch Avenue while minibus BZZ 3029 was proceeding east on the said road overtaking a traffic line of 15 vehicles. Whyte, who was the driver of the minibus, was stopped and told of the offence of dangerous driving and was asked by the Police officer to produce his driver’s licence.
The bus driver, however, drove away. Constable Connelly went after the driver and caught up with him on Sheriff Street where he managed to stop the vehicle once again in a bid to prevent the continuation of the offence. At this point, the driver exited the bus, proceeded to the left passenger side of the vehicle, retrieved a cutlass, and chased after Constable Connelly.
The Constable then ran away in a bid to prevent himself from being hurt. The driver then got back into the minibus and drove to his Sophia residence where he was later arrested. After he was found guilty of the offence, Whyte apologised to the Police Constable and begged the Magistrate for leniency.
This matter was prosecuted by Police Corporal Sanj Jaisingh. (G1)
