GDF site charged with causing the death of a Providence woman
Dying: Ameena Sooklall.
Kaieteur News – Corporal Lance of the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) was yesterday charged with causing the death of Providence, Demerara East Bank, by dangerous driving.
The 23-year-old defendant, Jason Butters, of Onderneeming, West Bank Demerara, and his lawyer, Stanley Moore, SC, appeared at Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.
Butters denied the charge and alleged that on December 15, 2020, on McDoom Public Road, East Bank Demerara, he had driven a motor vehicle, PPT 4166, into a dangerous manner to the public thereby causing the death of Ameena Sooklall.
In Moore’s address to the court, he noted that his client was innocent and requested bail for Butters in a reasonable amount.
The Police Prosecutor made no objection to Butters being granted bail citing the fact that he had already been placed on the station bail.
The prosecutor added, according to the facts of the allegation, on the day in question at about 23:45 o’clock. Butters was heading to Georgetown and while in the vicinity of Shell Gas Station he fell asleep at the wheel, crashing into the median.
As a result of the accident, Sooklall who was in the passenger seat was pinned and received multiple injuries to her body. She was taken from the wreck and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Butters was also reported to be in hospital. Upon his release, he was subsequently arrested and charged with causing Sooklall’s death by dangerous driving.
After hearing the facts of the allegation, Chief Magistrate McLennan granted him $ 150,000 bail and the matter was adjourned until March 23, 2021.