Drunk Driver Found Guilty Of Involuntary Homicide

Chotee was charged with ‘Involuntary wounds and blows by imprudence’ and was represented by counsel Manish Gobin.

It was found that he had been driving under the influence of alcohol with 218 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood in his system.

His car was burnt down during disturbances that followed the accident.

In his defence, he told the court he was only driving at 20 km/hr when he hit the victims and that the victims had been walking in the middle of the road.

However, forensic reports where the impact was analysed, indicated that the car was travelling at a considerably higher speed and that there was a lack of control over the vehicle.

The magistrate said the number and type of injuries sustained by the victims indicated a violent impact and certainly not an impact from a car being driven at 20km/hr.

The impact was such that Sindamani Mooken was projected in the air whilst Vassen Mooken was carried over the car’s bonnet for a distance of 200 metres.

The events happened in August 2008 when the car he was driving was involved in an accident with the Mooken family.

Vassen Mooken, 42, was killed immediately and his wife Sindamani Mooken, who was then 40, was seriously injured in the collision.

The pair were walking along the street with their two children when the accident happened.

They were admitted to the Sir Seewosagur Ramgoolam National hospital and autopsy certified Vassen Mooken died from a fractured skull while his wife was unconscious with broken ribs. Sentencing is reserved for a later date.