Bus driver accused of negligent driving

George Bezzina a 39-year-old bus driver from Cospicua was arraigned in court today, accused of having caused serious injury to a Turkish woman through negligent driving.

The woman, Melek Yuksel, had a leg broken in three places after an incident at the Valletta terminus yesterday.

She told the court that she had been in the bus with a group of friends and had jumped out from the emergency door at the back. Since there was a group of people behind the bus, she had been unable to mount the pavement. The bus had reversed and hit her, and as she fell to the ground one of her legs was caught under one of the wheels. She said the bus had continued to reverse even when her friends banged on it as a signal to stop.

A Scottish tourist, Louise McTaggart who had been on the bus, said the bus was full of people and since an elderly woman at the front was holding up people, a group decided to alight from the back. She had noticed the driver shouting something at the group as they got off from the emergency exit.

When she got off the bus, she said a group of people appeared to be jeering at the driver and banging on the side of the bus. The bus driver had continued to reverse, apparently thinking that the youths were banging after he had shouted at them for getting off from the back. One of the boys then got on the bus and tried to punch the driver, but was stopped by another boy. She said one of the boys then smashed one of the bus windows.

The trial continues.