MADINAH, 17 April 2008 — An Egyptian laborer who witnessed the fatal accident that was allegedly caused by an illegal pursuit by members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in a Madinah suburb on March 30 said he did not see a commission vehicle at the scene moments after the accident, Al-Watan daily reported yesterday.
“I was cutting weeds in the farm when I heard a loud screech followed by a bang. I rushed to the road, which was covered in thick smoke. I saw a car had slammed into the farm’s water tank. I found all of the passengers dead except one crying for help,” the witness said to the investigating officials. “I did not see any other car near the scene of accident or on the road, for that matter.”
The deposition of this second witness, Muhammad Mahmoud, contradicts a statement from another witness, Fahd Al-Johany, a Saudi, who said he saw a marked commission car in the vicinity of the accident.
“I was heading for the Baida desert camp when I noticed thick dust rising from beyond the bend ahead,” Al-Johany has said for the record. “Out of curiosity I hurried to see what is causing the dust and found an upturned car. I attempted to help the driver get out from the mangled car. But observing that he was about to die I recited the testament of faith to him. His mouth and nose were filled with blood. When I looked around for some one to help me in rescue operations I found a commission’s car coming slowly from the direction of the Baida. I saw in them two commission members and a policeman. I asked them to stop and assist me. But they did not listen to me and drove on in the Madinah direction. Help came after I called police on the phone.”
The homicide department of the General Investigation and Prosecution Board is conducting the investigations.
The two commission members and the police officer were later arrested. According to some reports the policeman accompanying the two commission members admitted to their involvement in the accident while the commission members denied committing any criminal act.
According to orders from the Interior Ministry, commission members are not supposed to engage in vehicular pursuits.
