Driver cleared of pedestrian's manslaughter

A Luqa driver has been cleared of involuntarily causing the death of a pedestrian after a magistrate chose to differ with the conclusions reached by the court experts.

Magistrate Miriam Hayman cleared Anthony Camilleri, 57, of the manslaughter of Bartholomeo Sultana in a traffic accident in Gzira on August 1, 1999, at about 9.45 p.m.

Magistrate Hayman noted how traffic expert Joseph Micallef Stafrace and technical expert Joseph Zammit based their report on the version given by Martha Kalifa and Camilleri and concluded that Camilleri was responsible for Sultana's death.

Kalifa, who was the only eye witness, said she had seen Sultana press the button at the traffic lights, cross halfway and land on the centre strip but was run over when he attempted to cross the second half of the road.

Camilleri, however, said he had already driven past the traffic lights when a man ran into the road and rolled over the bonnet of his car.

He added that he stopped his car in the place of the accident.

The magistrate noted that Camilleri's version was corroborated by the fact that his car was found beyond the traffic lights and that no brake marks were found on the road.

She ruled that in light of this evidence she could not agree with the experts' conclusions and that the doubt created by the contradicting versions of Kalifa and Camilleri had to be taken in the defendant's favour.

Police Inspector Peter Paul Zammit prosecuted.