Drunk driver behind bars

A MOTORIST who caused a fatal crash while drunk behind the wheel has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison.

Muhammed Ali Gündoğan was found guilty of causing an accident while under the influence of alcohol on the Akdoğan-Yiğitler main road at 00.05 on December 28, 2020, which resulted in the death of Ortaç Gürbüz.

The Lefkoşa Police Department’s Traffic Investigation team stated that Mr Gündoğan lied in his initial statement to police when he tried to claim that Mr Gürbüz had been driving the car.

The defendant had accepted a total of eight different charges by Lefkoşa Assize Court, including “causing someone else’s death as a result of carelessness and recklessness”, “drink driving”, “dangerous driving” and “careless driving”.

Prosecutor Ergin Aıcı and lawyer Levent Kızılduman presented their cases to the court’s three-judge panel.

In light of his own confession, facts and evidence brought against the accused, Judge Nüvit Gazi read out the guilty verdict.

Judge Gazi emphasised that the most serious crime committed by Mr Gündoğan was “causing someone else’s death as a result of carelessness and recklessness” and noted that this crime is punishable with up to seven years in prison.

Fatal road accidents cause “indescribable pain and serious concern to the public” the judge said.

The “only person at fault in the accident” was Mr Gündoğan, who had “caused the death of a person while intoxicated and by speeding” the court was told. Judge Gazi also banned Mr Gündoğan from driving for one year.