He was behind the wheel when the Land Rover they were in flipped and killed his friend of fourteen years but today a jury told Holman Katanegie he isn't responsible for his friend's death. That friend is 18-year-old Elion Augustine who died seven days after the accident on October 30th of 2004.
As we reported at that time, Augustine who worked with the Belize Family Association (BFLA) took the vehicle without permission for a road trip to Punta Gorda. Augustine was riding shotgun to Katanegie along with two other passengers when between miles 17 and 18 on the Coastal Road he swerved to avoid hitting a puddle and lost control.
In court Katanegie says he was only driving 40-miles an hour. Tyrone Teck, who was called by the prosecution, was in the vehicle and corroborated that story. He added that Katanegie took the lead and went looking for help. And that is what may have made the difference as the jury of 8 acquitted Katanegie of both manslaughter by negligence and the lesser charge of causing death by careless conduct. There were only 8 jurors because the ninth member fell sick. Chief Justice Abudali Conteh was the presiding judge, Cheryl Branker-Taitt was the prosecutor and senior counsel Ellis Arnold defended Katanegie. Katanegie was formerly a police officer and he today told us he is ready to move on with his life.
