Updated: 7:12am – A 51-year-old man of Bau Road, Nausori is a free man as the Nausori Magistrates Court has acquitted him of the charge of causing death by dangerous driving.
It was alleged that Shiu Darsan drove a bus on Bau Road in a dangerous manner and as a result caused the death of a pedestrian on 3rd January, 2013.
Magistrate, Chaitanya Lakshman has ruled that the prosecution has not proven the case beyond reasonable doubt, was not able to prove that Darsan drove in a dangerous manner and caused the death of the pedestrian.
Magistrate Lakshman stated that the court believes the version of events as related by Darsan where the drag link rod of the bus broke and the vehicle could not be controlled which went off the road and hit a pedestrian.
He says Darsan did not drive dangerously and the evidence of the witnesses on his manner of driving or that he drove at a speed dangerous to others is not reliable.
Magistrate Lakshman added that the broken drag link rod which was welded veered the bus off the road and Darsan had tried his best to bring the bus under his control.
-Fiji Village
