Bus checker jailed for 8 years for Suva Bus stand deaths

49-year-old Rabindar Singh has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment by the Suva High Court.   

Judge Justice Salesi Temo has fixed a non-parole period of seven years.

Singh was found guilty of manslaughter by the three assessors and the judge concurred with them.

On the 6th of May, 2014 Singh drove a Dee Cee’s Bus at the Suva Bus Stand knowing that the bus had mechanical problems.

Singh was employed as a checker for Dee Cees bus company at the time of the incident.

The bus hit the back of a Nasese bus resulting in the bus hitting 46-year-old Seruwaia Rokosere and 3-year-old Paulini Tubuna.

They both died on the same day.

While sentencing Singh, Justice Temo said the Suva Bus Stand is always full of commuters and told Singh that he knew the bus had broken down but drove it carelessly.

Justice Temo says he has shown utter disregard to the deceased lives and this sentence is to punish him, and to protect the public from reckless vehicle drivers.