Unlicensed motorist charged with hit and run incident on 70-year-old pedestrian

A 29-year-old motorist has been remanded in custody after being charged with a hit and run incident which left an elderly pedestrian suffering from facial injuries.

Inspector Alfredo Mangion charged Anees Badroush, 29 from Libya with running over the elderly man, causing him grievous bodily harm, damaging his property, dangerous driving, failing to stop after being involved in a road accident, running a red light, driving without a licence or insurance and recidivism.

The incident occurred on 10 January at Mdina Road in Qormi, when the 70-year-old pedestrian was struck as he crossed the road at a pedestrian crossing.

Badroush had been driving his partner’s car at the time.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia entered a plea of not guilty and requested bail.

This was objected to by the prosecution, on the grounds that the victim was vulnerable on account of his age and the fact that he was still in the hospital. There were also other eyewitnesses to the incident, said the police. Furthermore, the accused had the wrong address on his ID card and was currently living in Siggiewi with his partner, said the Inspector.

The defence argued that the man was presumed to be innocent, pointing out that he had voluntarily gone to the police station. “He had panicked initially, but then he had gone to the police station.”

The defence argued that at the end of the day, it was a traffic accident, an involuntary offence, but Inspector Mangion was having none of this, rebutting that the accused had run a red light, hit a pedestrian, drove off and had then tried to hide evidence by wiping down the car and abandoning it.

Police had been stationed outside the address which the accused had provided and had never seen him there. The female occupant told the police that she was no longer in a relationship with the accused.

Magistrate Nadine Lia turned down the request for the man’s release, saying that there was doubt as to where the accused could be traced and that this coupled with his lack of trustworthiness and the fact that the victim was yet to testify militated against the granting of bail.