BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

A NARCOTIC Control Bureau officer who was involved in accident which claimed the life of his colleague was imposed a $3,500 fine yesterday after he pleaded guilty to careless driving.

The defendant, Danny Irawandy Shabuddin, was in pursuit of a suspected drug offender when their car collided with another car while in the middle of the traffic light cross junction at Kg Sengkarai in February 25, 2010.

The court document states that on that day the defendant went on patrol duty using a government registered Mitsubishi Pajero. The patrol was led by Senior Narcotic Officer (SNO) Kamaluddin Hj Mohd Said who was seated in the front passenger seat of the car.

The defendant was the driver and there were three other passengers, all of whom were employed with the NCB seated at the rear passenger seat.

Yuradani Muhd Yunus sat behind the defendant while Marlina Ibrahim and Muhammad Raziq Abdullah Duri @ Kusdinawata Duri sat behind Kamaluddin.

During the patrol at Pantai Seri Kenangan, there was a yellow Mitsubishi Lancer parked at the vicinity.

The defendant received instructions from SNO Kamaluddin to block the car as the driver was believed to be involved in drug related activities.

The driver of the yellow Lancer quickly drove away causing SNO Kamaluddin to instruct the defendant to give chase.

The defendant then switched on his hazard lights and honked repeatedly indicating for the yellow Lancer to stop. The car chase continued to the traffic light cross junction at Kg Sengkarai headed towards Tutong town.

It was there at the middle of the traffic light cross junction that the defendant’s car collided with a Toyota Innova that was coming from the Muara/Tutong highway and headed toward the Tutong/Seria highway.

As a result of the collision, the Toyota Innova collided with a Mitsubishi Grandis which at the time stopped at the traffic light junction heading toward the Pantai Seri Kenangan direction.

The impact of the collision also led to the defendant’s vehicle landing atop the island and it also resulted in a lamp post being uprooted.

Police personnel from Tutong Police Station subsequently received a call on 993 on February 25, 2010 reporting the collision at the traffic light cross junction at Kg Sengkarai.

The defendant and his passengers were rendered unconscious from the collision and had to be brought to the hospital.

Marlina, the back passenger of the defendant’s car, was pronounced dead on February 26, 2010 at 12.30am.

During the proceedings yesterday, the charge against co-accused, SNO Kamaluddin, was withdrawn by the prosecution.

SNO Kamaluddin was accused of intentionally aiding Danny to drive the car in a manner that was dangerous to the public and that caused the death of their colleague.

The Brunei Times