A businesswoman charged with one count of dangerous driving occasioning death has been released on bail by paying $500 at the Lautoka Magistrate Court.

Roshni Lata, 45, appeared before Magistrate Rangajeeva Wimalasena yesterday and pleaded not guilty to the offence.

It is alleged that on Monday this week (July 6), Lata was driving a vehicle when she overtook a cane truck in Drasa, Lautoka, and hit a 44-year-old expatriate cycling in the opposite lane.

The man, Reuben Summerlin, was cycling towards Lautoka when the accident happened. Mr Summerlin was rusahed to hospital, but pronounced dead on arrival.

This is Lata’s first alleged offence and her surety Hirdesh Sharma willingly provided the $1000 bond.

The court heard that Lata’s passport has been stolen and she has reported the matter to the Police station.

The court requested her submit her Police report to court and to pay her bail as well.

The matter will now be called at the Lautoka Magistrate’s Court on July 26.

Condolences

Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of Fiji and the National Financial Inclusion Taskforce in a joint statement expressed their deepest regret and profound sadness at the untimely passing of Mr Summerlin.

The statement read, “Reuben was a key member of the National Financial Inclusion Taskforce and a financial inclusion champion who worked among the Pacific Island countries to enable low-income households to gain access to quality and affordable financial services and financial education.”

Mr Summerlin worked in the Pacific for the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) as the Regional Technical Adviser since May 2012 and was Programme Manager for the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme based in Suva, Fiji. He served as a member of the National Financial Inclusion Taskforce of Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

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