Lefkoşa court sentences driver to 20 months in fatal accident

A Lefkoşa Heavy Penal Court has sentenced a defendant to 20 months in prison for a fatal traffic accident on the Lefkoşa Highway that resulted in the death of pedestrian Musa Mavideniz.

The court found that the defendant, a 22-year-old university student, was distracted by using WhatsApp on a laptop while driving at the time of the incident. The presiding judge, Ayşen Toroslu, noted that while the driver was not speeding and had no alcohol or drugs in his system, the use of the device and failure to keep to the left side of the road served as aggravating factors.

During the proceedings, the defense argued that the deceased had entered the road suddenly and had alcohol in his blood. However, the court convicted the defendant on three counts after reviewing the evidence. The presiding judge emphasized the need for deterrent sentences due to the rising number of fatal accidents, while also noting that legal penalties alone cannot prevent such tragedies without societal and official responsibility.