A bus driver, who was seen in a viral video snatching a passenger’s phone after complaints of noise nuisance, was today fined $80,000 after confessing to four charges.
Josh Harry of Lot 28 Back Road, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, was before Senior Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
He pleaded guilty to breach of condition of road service license, making loud and continuous noise, conduct of driver and failing to carry a conductor.
The Magistrate then fined him $80,000 for the four charges.
According to Prosecutor Sanj Jaisingh’s facts in the matter, on April 12, at Houston Public Road Greater Georgetown, while he was the driver of minibus BYY 8024, which was proceeding north along Houston Public Road, a passenger of the bus complained about the bus having no conductor and the continuous noise which was becoming a nuisance.
The driver stopped the bus in a rash manner and approached the passenger before snatching her cell phone out of her hand. In the process of doing so, he hit her on her mouth, causing his conduct as a driver of public transportation, to be inappropriate.
The matter was reported and investigations were carried out. Following a search of the vehicle carried out by the police, a 2.6 inch Faital Pro Speakers, 2.8 inch Faital Pro Speakers, a 1000 watt power amplifier and an Audiopipe, all instruments of music which were not authorized by the prescribed authority were confiscated.
The man was arrested and charged by police and was released on $30,000 bail.
Today, the prosecutor asked that maximum fines be imposed.
