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Feb 25, 2015 News
– victim’s relatives frustrated
The relatives of a road accident victim are up in arms after the young man responsible for her death is still walking around, essentially using the justice system in the process .
The 25-year-old driver Hafraz Mangroo has appealed his five-year sentence for causing the death of former hotel employee Lovina Tull, and is out on bail awaiting the determination of the appeal, which could take a few years.
This new development has left a bitter taste on the lips of the woman’s relatives including her husband Colin Tull, who are now convinced that the justice system is failing them.
“I don’t think I am getting justice for my wife,” Tull had told this newspaper after learning of the new development.
On the night of February 4 last year, Lovina Tull of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara, had just left work and was waiting for transportation outside the Ocean View International Hotel when she was hurled several yards by a speeding pick-up truck that was driven by Mangroo. She died on the spot.
Nine months later, when Magistrate Alex Moore eventually found the driver guilty, her family was sure that justice had been served. But their hopes were dashed when they realized that Mangroo had gone into hiding to avoid imprisonment, having been granted bail by the High Court.
He was later sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in his absence by the Magistrate for causing the death of Tull.
The Magistrate also ordered Mangroo to pay $12M compensation to the woman’s family. At the time Mangroo had failed to turn up for the last two court hearings. He was previously found guilty of drunk driving and was
fined $7500.
Kaieteur News understands that Mangroo was subsequently arrested by the police sometime late last year and was immediately taken to prison to begin his sentence. However in a smart move, apparently designed to delay or avoid further incarceration, he filed an appeal and was subsequently released on bail.
This certainly angered the dead woman’s relatives who claimed that in the first place they were unaware that Mangroo was arrested and taken to prison. A senior police official who was contacted by this newspaper confirmed that Mangroo was arrested and taken to prison.
This newspaper was unable to ascertain when the appeal was filed.
The woman’s relatives are of the view that the appeal court should have taken into consideration that Mangroo had disappeared before his sentencing, when they granted him bail recently.
“Imagine this man was first remanded by the magistrate and eventually secured bail in the High Court. He then skipped bail and now the appeal court granting he bail, something is wrong in this country,” Colin Tull declared.
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