Thirty-six-year-old contractor Shazad Sattaur, who is accused of driving into a crowd and killing a 50-year-old man, has been released on bail totalling $1.5 million by Reliance Court Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh on several charges, including causing death by dangerous driving.
On Wednesday, February 1, Sattaur of Lot 1294 Glasgow Housing Scheme, East Bank Berbice, was brought before Magistrate Singh on the said charges and was remanded to prison.
A few days later, his lawyer, Senior Counsel Murseline Bacchus made a similar application before Berbice High Court Judge Navindra Singh but it was refused.
When Sattaur appeared before Magistrate Singh for the second time on Friday, February 17, he was granted the hefty bail.
He is to return to court on March 10, when the case is expected to continue.
To the charge which alleged that on January 10, he drove motor pick-up GZZ 8988 in a dangerous manner, thereby causing the death of Somdatt Indal, called “Fats”, of Canefield Settlement, East Canje, Berbice, Sattaur, a father of three, was not required to enter a plea as it was laid indictable.
Additional charges he faces are: failing to render assistance to the injured persons; failing to stop after an accident; and failing to report the accident. He has pleaded not guilty to these.
Shazad Sattaur, the CEO of N&S Engineering and Contracting Services, which is currently executing several contracts for the Public Works Ministry, is accused of driving into a group of people outside a wedding house on the morning of Sunday, January 29 in East Canje.
It was reported that during the wee hours of that day, the pick-up vehicle was stationary, facing east on Workshop Street when the driver suddenly drove off at a fast rate of speed, during which he collided with several persons standing on the northern side of the street.
As a result of the collision, Indal died, while Daniel Sackichand, 21, of Adelphi Village, East Canje, Berbice; 11-year-old Dion Kistnen, a student of Canje Secondary School and of Lot 23 Goed Bananen Land, East Canje; and Leon Revon, 34, of Lot 1143 East Canefield, were all injured.
At the time of the accident, there was reportedly an argument between Sattaur and other persons, after which the pick-up, which had been parked there for some time, suddenly pulled out and into the crowd. It has also been reported that the driver of the motor pick-up had fled the scene, but later surrendered to the Police in the company of his lawyer.
According to the Police prosecutor, Sattaur was captured on video recklessly fleeing the scene.
Sattaur’s lawyer, on the other hand, is contending that the street was blocked by a group of about 50 persons who were attending a wedding, and Sattaur stopped and blew his horn, seeking to be allowed to pass. Bacchus told the court that someone pelted a bottle and broke the back windscreen of his client’s pick-up, and two persons tried to open the doors of the vehicle.
Meanwhile, only weeks ago, the Public Works Ministry had terminated the contract that was awarded to N&S Contracting Services for construction of the El Dorado Road, Corentyne, Berbice, after it was found that no work had been completed on the road even after a letter of poor performance had been issued to the contractor.
The contract was awarded in early 2022, and the contractor was given a $22 million mobilisation advance, but had done nothing almost a year later.
