A 37-year-old e-hailing driver has been charged over his involvement in a fatal crash.
According to Berita Harian, Muhamad Syafiq Ibrahim pleaded not guilty at the Shah Alam Magistrates’ Court today (8 October) to three charges linked to a crash that killed a 22-year-old Maldivian student and injured another passenger.
The driver was charged under the Road Transport Act 1987 over allegations that he drove a car under the influence of methamphetamine, causing the death of female passengers from the Maldives. He also faces a charge of allegedly causing injuries to another passenger, and a separate charge of driving without due care and attention.
E-hailing driver allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine
The crash happened at around 8.48pm on Sunday along the New Pantai Expressway (NPE), near the Petaling Jaya toll plaza towards Puchong as also reported by Berita Harian.
Police previously said the driver’s car collided with the rear right side of another car that was moving towards the RFID lane. The impact allegedly caused the driver’s car to spin before overturning in the middle of the road.
The e-hailing driver had two 22-year-old female passengers from the Maldives, both of whom were private higher education students in the Klang Valley. One passenger, Aamina Imeely Nazim, died at the scene after becoming trapped in the vehicle, while the other, Aishath Sara Nizam, was injured.
Police said urine screenings conducted on both drivers found that the e-hailing driver tested positive for methamphetamine. He was subsequently remanded for four days to assist with investigations.
Court grants RM9,000 bail with one surety
The first charge relates to allegedly driving under the influence of drugs and causing Aamina’s death under Section 44(1)(a) of the Road Transport Act 1987. If convicted, the offence carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of between RM50,000 and RM100,000.
He also faces a charge over allegedly causing injuries to Aishath and another charge of driving without due care and attention.
The prosecution requested RM10,000 bail for each charge, while his lawyer told the court that his client earns around RM2,000 a month as an e-hailing driver and supports his wife and two young children.
The court ultimately granted bail of RM9,000 with one surety and suspended his driving licence until the case is concluded. The case will be mentioned again on 4 December.
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