Labourer fined $400,000 for multiple traffic offences

A 24-year-old labourer from Sheet Anchor, East Canje Berbice, is facing a total of $400,000 in fines and up to six months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to a number of traffic-related offences.

Keion Clarke appeared on Thursday before Magistrate Michelle Matthias at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court, where he was remanded to prison after being denied bail.

Clarke admitted to several offences, including driving without a licence, two counts of dangerous driving, failure to display identification marks on both the front and rear of his vehicle, breach of insurance requirements, driving without a safety helmet, operating an uncertified motor vehicle, failing to stop when required by a uniformed police officer, and fraudulent use of imitation identification marks.

The court heard that Clarke was arrested after a video circulated on social media allegedly showed him assaulting a traffic rank while the officer was performing his duties. In the footage, the suspect is seen approaching the rank with a glass bottle, striking him, and then throwing the bottle in his direction.

The prosecution objected to bail, and after considering the submissions, Magistrate Matthias remanded Clarke to prison. He is scheduled to return to court on March 5, 2026 for further proceedings.