COURT ISSUES ARREST WARRANT AGAINST ABSENT WITNESSES

Witnesses fail to appear before court in hit-and-run case

DT News Network

Manama

Arrest warrants were issued against prosecution witnesses who were supposed to take the stand in a murder trial.

They were called to give their testimonies before the High Criminal Court in the case of a 31-year-old Saudi national who fled the country after running his car over a person on the Exhibition Road.

DT News reported in March, police launched an extensive manhunt for a Gulf national driver after a 44-year-old man was found dead in the parking lot of a hotel located on the Exhibition Road. 

The incident occurred on March 6, but the accused escaped to Saudi, averting police's efforts to nab him. He abandoned his car, and used a taxi service to avoid being captured, court files suggested.

Later when he learnt that the victim had died, the 31-year-old surrendered himself to Bahraini police, claiming he was drunk during the mishap.

He claimed he pressed the gas pedal by mistake as he wasn't in his full conscious. He refuted any links with the victim, and stated the victim was a stranger to him. 

"I was in the car under the influence of alcohol. I put my foot on the gas pedal and the vehicle moved quickly. Then several people came to me and told me I ran my car over a man. I panicked and in that mental condition, immediately abandoned the car," he said.

However, eye-witnesses told prosecutors the accused intentionally the victim with the car.

The accident happened following a quarrel between the accused and the victim after they had a lunch together in the same restaurant, according to the witnesses' statements. 

The accused's trial was adjourned until June 24 to hear the witnesses. He is in police custody, pending investigation. He is accused of murder and attempted murder.

Judges at the High Criminal Court also fined the witnesses who failed to appear BD50, for not responding to the High Criminal Court's call.