A motorist has been sentenced to six years in prison for causing a horrific accident in which a couple and their child were killed while two other children were left with life-long grievous injuries.
The Lower Criminal Court yesterday also ruled to suspend the driving licence of the 29-year-old Bahraini man for a year starting from the end of his jail term, and ordered the confiscation of the vehicle which was involved in the crash in Saar on May 30.
In a separate trial later in the day, the 29-year-old Bahraini was also convicted of possessing hashish for recreational purposes, and sentenced to three years in prison and fined BD3,000.
The two rulings bring the total penalty to nine years in prison, besides the fine, and according to the Public Prosecution, the sentences are to be served immediately with no chance for bail.
The Public Prosecution reserves the right to appeal the verdict.
In the manslaughter case, the accused was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and exceeding the speed limit when he veered into the opposite lane colliding head-on with a vehicle in which the family of five was travelling.
The father, 40-year-old Ahmed Al Orrayedh, and his wife Fatima Al Qaidoom, 36, died in hospital the same day due to their critical injuries while their seven-year-old son Abdulaziz succumbed to his injuries in hospital on June 13.
Two other children who survived the crash, 12-year-old Aya and nine-year-old Yousif, sustained serious injuries.
The late Abdulaziz, left, with his surviving siblings Yousif and Aya
They have been discharged from the hospital and are now living with their uncle and grandmother in their mother’s family home in Segaiya.
The manslaughter verdict was issued after only two hearings.
The accused was convicted on all eight charges: Vehicular manslaughter and causing grievous physical harm to the survivors, drunk driving, property damage, criminal negligence, posing a threat to others’ lives and property, not following traffic rules and instructions, improperly attempting to overtake another vehicle and speeding – driving 30 per cent over the speed limit meant for the road on which the accident took place.
While the manslaughter case was heard in the Lower Criminal Court’s seventh circuit, the narcotics case was heard in the Lower Criminal Court’s first circuit.
After investigations revealed that the defendant had been under the influence of drugs when he caused the accident, authorities searched his house after obtaining a warrant from the prosecution, and narcotics were reportedly found.
The GDN earlier reported that the Bahraini family was travelling to their home in Markh in the early hours of May 30.
The crash spurred a wider discussion in Bahrain about reckless driving, with the GDN earlier reporting that legislators were working on new laws to impose harsher penalties on negligent motorists.
The case also took social media by storm with the accused’s lawyer being criticised for vigorously defending his client in court.
On Monday, the Bahrain Bar Society condemned the ‘vicious attacks’ against the lawyer who had claimed that the accident was a result of a seizure that the defendant had at the same time as one of the tyres of his vehicle burst, leading him to lose control of his vehicle.
Lawyer Ahmed Touq also accused the late Mr Al Orrayedh of negligence for allegedly not instructing his children to wear seat-belts, in violation of traffic laws.
He claimed that Abdulaziz was sitting in the front seat with his mother when the accident happened, though no proof for this allegation was presented.
The lawyer also tried to cast doubt on the father’s autopsy and tried to dismiss a witness testimony, stating that the CCTV footage did not show the complete picture due to the camera’s angle.
In a 12-page memo submitted to the court, he claimed that the accident was fully out of his client’s control.
The Bahrain Bar Society urged people to respect the integrity of the legal profession, stating that having access to legal counsel is ‘indispensable and enshrined in the constitutions of all civilised nations’.
“Any trial without a lawyer is considered null and void, and cannot be legally recognised,” read a statement.
The society clarified that a lawyer exercising his role was not meant to exonerate the accused, but rather ensure that the court in question was fully aware of all the facts of the case before rendering its judgement.
The statement went on to explain that if a lawyer were to refuse to defend an accused, the trial could come to a halt and the defendant could potentially escape punishment.
“The Bahrain Bar Society understands the humanitarian motives that call for legitimate sympathy with the victims and their bereaved families.
“However, that should not become a means to insult anyone who are simply performing their duties as required by the laws of Bahrain.”
The Public Prosecution earlier demanded that the judge grant no shred of leniency to the defendant as ‘he tore a family apart’.
The Interior Ministry previously blamed the fatal accident on the accused’s ‘blatant disregard’ of road rules.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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