DUBAI // A Pakistani driver who was parked on the hard shoulder when a bus crashed into his lorry causing the death of 13 people should be acquitted, his lawyer told the traffic court on Thursday.
“He was not the one to directly cause the deaths of the 13 people,” said the lawyer to presiding judge Jamal Al Jubaili.
The lawyer of the driver of the bus carrying 27 workers from their accommodation in Umm Al Quwain to Jebel Ali also asked that his client be acquitted. He did not present a verbal argument, instead submitting a written one to court.
A verdict should be delivered on August 28.
The two drivers are charged with 13 counts of manslaughter and 14 counts of injury as a result of the crash in May. Both denied the charges against them.
At 6am on May 10, a bus carrying 27 workers ploughed into the back of a stationary lorry on Emirates Road. Thirteen were killed and 15 others injured, including the driver.
Nine of those killed were Indians aged between 25 and 35. The others were Bangladeshi men aged 24, 32, 34 and 50.
Six men suffered minor injuries while nine sustained severe injuries according to a Dubai Public Prosecution report.
Driver MG, 45, had previously told prosecutors that he was not guilty of the charges as his vehicle had been parked on the hard shoulder since 8pm the previous night due to a fault.
Pakistani mechanic BK, 24, confirmed MG’s story.
The driver of the passengers, ZK, 26, said he suddenly lost control of the vehicle, blaming a malfunction.
He was driving at 100kph on a road with an 80kph speed limit.
Experts’ reports said that ZK was responsible for the accident, the death of the 13 people and the injury of 14 others.
MG was referred to court as he failed to contact police to move his vehicle.
salamir@thenational.ae
