Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Dec 14, 2014 News
– Accused asks for time to retain lawyer
Almost six years after he was charged with rape, Party Promoter, Colin Mack, stood in the prisoner’s dock
before Justice Navindra Singh at the Georgetown Supreme Court on Wednesday and indicated that he needed additional time to better prepare for trial.
Mack is facing a trial for an indictment of rape, assault and forcible abduction of a female. He is accused of having sex with a 19-year-old without her consent on April 12, 2009.
According to police investigators, the victim, in a statement, said that she was held against her will for several hours at a Festival City house. The teen said that she shouted for help, but no one came to her rescue even though the houses were within hearing distance. She managed to escape after she hung her naked body through a window until a taxi driver came to her rescue. The popular promoter was charged for the crime in 2009 and his trial has been pending ever since.
On Wednesday, however, despite all indications that the court was ready to proceed with the matter, the embattled party promoter stood before Justice Singh and a mixed 12-member jury and indicated that he needed time to adequately prepare for trial. Mack who was unrepresented, requested ten days since he wanted to retain a lawyer of his choice for the trial.
He told the court that he invested his money to promote an upcoming show and needs to recoup his finances to be able to afford an attorney of his choice to represent him.
Justice Singh told the accused that lawyers are not usually assigned by the State to represent persons accused in matters related to sexual offences but that he would make an exception in this case. Mack insisted that he wanted his own lawyer.
He explained that money is not the problem but that “it is just tied up right now.” After careful consideration, Justice Singh granted the accused his request but noted that the trial is likely to come up at the next session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes which commences on January 13, 2015.
Meanwhile, three other murder trials were also suspended last week after the accused in the matters indicated that they wanted time to ensure that they are represented by lawyers of their choice.
Murder accused, Balram Singh, Rondell Bacchus and Edward Skeete all had their matters postponed to the next session.
State Prosecutor Judith Gildarie-Mursalin had indicated that she was ready to proceed with the matters but the men expressed that they wanted to ensure that it was possible for their lawyers would be able to represent them at trial.
Singh requested time to properly retain Attorney- at- law Kim Kyte while time was granted to Attorney -at -Law Nigel Hughes, who is representing the latter two accused, since he is currently engaged in a manslaughter trial before another Supreme Court Judge and a proceeding before the Court of Appeal.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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