DEATH AT EXHIBITION ROAD NOT ACCIDENT, SAYS COURT

A Saudi national, who fled the country after running his car over a fellow countryman in the Exhibition Road attempted to murder four men, according to court files.

DT News reported in March police had launched an extensive manhunt for a Saudi driver after a man was found dead in the parking lot of a hotel on the Exhibition Road.

The incident took place on March 6, but the accused fled to his homeland, averting police’s efforts to nab him. He abandoned his car, and used a taxi service to avoid being captured, court files suggest.

“A few days of the incident, I decided to return to Bahrain to find out what had happened to the victim,” the accused told prosecutors. “People told me that he died and therefore I headed back to my country. I contacted the Saudi Embassy in Bahrain and inquired about the victim’s nationality.”

“I was told he was a Saudi too. I told my family about incident and decided to surrender before police and admit to my responsibility,” the 31-year-old added.

The accused claimed he pressed the gas pedal by mistake as he was drunk. He turned down any kind of link with the victim.

“When people started gathering after the accident, I got panicked and abandoned the car in that mental condition,” he alleged.

However, eye-witnesses told prosecutors the accused intentionally raced his car towards the victim and three others who were with deceased at the time of the incident. The accident happened following a quarrel between the accused and the other four following a lunch together in a restaurant, according to the witnesses’ statements.

“I saw the accused and the victim eating lunch in the same restaurant. They left the restaurant together and suddenly started quarrelling, following which, the accused steered his car towards them,” a witness told prosecutors. “Only one of them was crushed as the others avoided the vehicle,” he added.

The accused’s trial was adjourned until May 24 to hear police witnesses. He is in police custody, pending investigation.