Syrian's dangerous driving lands him in court

A Syrian tile-layer’s lack of driving courtesy has landed him in trouble with the law, after police who stopped him for disobeying roundabout rules found him to be driving without a licence or insurance. 

Police Inspectors Pierguido Saliba and Sergio Pisani presented 25-year-old Mohamad Dusho under arrest before Magistrate Joseph Mifsud this morning. 

The prosecution told the court that Dusho’s van had been stopped after two motorcycle–mounted police, who had been driving behind him, saw him fail to stop at a roundabout in Iklin and narrowly avoid causing an accident. 

Inspector Saliba explained that when the van was stopped shortly after, it was found to be carrying four passengers and had no insurance policy. In addition, the driving licence Dusho handed to the officers was found to be counterfeit. 

Dusho, who enjoys refugee status, was charged with making a false declaration to a public official, using a falsified public document, driving a motor vehicle without a licence or insurance cover and with not giving way to vehicles driving around a roundabout. 

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecution objected to bail on the grounds that the accused had no ties to Malta, but the court pointed out that given the current circumstances in Syria and the closing of borders in mainland Europe, there was no risk of him going anywhere.

Dusho was granted bail against a personal guarantee of €1,000.