Roberto Narine, 37, of Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was today granted bail and fined on two charges associated with the fatal accident that claimed the life of 27-year-old Ian Mekdeci and left his friend, Sheik Baksh critically injured.
Narine was charged for driving under the influence of alcohol and driving an unlicensed vehicle. He pleaded not guilty to the first and guilty to the latter when he appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
As such, he was reportedly released on $20,000 bail for driving under the influence and fined $20,000 for driving an unlicensed vehicle. Narine, however, remains in custody and is expected to be charged with causing death by dangerous driving tomorrow.
Mekdeci, a former national squash player died in the wee hours of Sunday following a two-vehicle collision. His 31-year-old friend of Dowding Street, Kitty remains in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
The accident occurred at the intersection of Sandy Babb Street and Vlissengen Road in the vicinity of Camp Ayanganna.
Police stated that the accident occurred at about 02:15h and involved motor car PXX 4592 driven by Baksh and motor jeep bearing registration number PTT 4136 which at the time was being driven by Roberto Narine, a 37-year-old male of School Street, Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara (EBD)
At the time of the accident, the jeep was proceeding along Vlissengen Road whilst the motor car was travelling along Sandy Babb Street.
However, upon approaching the intersection, the driver of the motor car was reportedly crossing on the ‘green light’ but the driver of the jeep failed to stop, thus resulting in a collision
Mekdeci and Baksh sustained injuries to their bodies and were picked up by an ambulance in an unconscious condition and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Baksh was admitted as a patient to the Emergency Unit at the hospital suffering from a broken left arm, a laceration to the head, and a punctured left lung. Mekdeci, on the other hand, was pronounced dead on arrival.
A breathalyser test administered on the driver of the jeep proved that he was above the legal alcohol consumption limit. Mekdeci was a squash player and would have recently participated in the Georgetown Squash Association (GSA) organised Squash League. In 2019, he performed exceptionally in the Bounty Farm Handicap Squash tournament.
