Latest update March 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 17, 2019 News
A City Magistrate on Friday was forced to dismiss a case against a former prison escapee charged for robbery with violence after one of the witnesses, a police rank, failed to show up in court to testify.
This move by Senior Magistrate, Leron Daly, comes after the police rank, who was supposed to swear to the accuracy of the charge and its particulars, was not present in court when the matter was called.
When the matter was first called, the court orderly went outside the courtroom and summoned the rank thrice. No one answered to the name.
The court Prosecutor then asked the Magistrate to defer the matter for a few minutes so that he could make contact with the police rank. After a few minutes, the orderly called out the name for the officer again, but got no response nor did anyone show up.
Another prosecutor, Sanj Singh, then begged the Magistrate for a few more minutes to make contact with the rank. But by then, it was too late, a visibly upset Magistrate Daly stated, “Why must the court wait for the police? This matter will be struck out. The police ranks are over doing it. Every time a matter is called, they are never in court. Why must the court wait on the police? They should be waiting in court for when the matter is called.”
The Magistrate then warned that whenever a situation like this arises, she will dismiss the matter.
Meanwhile, the defendant, Winston Long was seated in the prisoner’s dock waiting for the magistrate to read the charge to him. It was not read.
The charge stated that on February 12 at High Street, Georgetown, while being in the company of others, he robbed Sherlock Cummings of a cellular phone valued $6,000, one chain valued $10,000 and $3,000 cash, and at the same time made use of personal violence against the victim.
According to information, on the day in question, the victim was walking along Parliament Building, when he was confronted by Long and others who robbed him of the articles mentioned in the charge.
They then made good their escape. An investigation was carried out and Long was arrested for the offence. Last year, Long was in court to face charges of robbery under arms.
He had appeared before Principal Magistrate, Judy Latchman who remanded him to prison. The allegation against him had stated that on August 27, 2018, at High Street, Werk-en-Rust, while being in the company of others and armed with a cutlass, he robbed Arif Wahab of a cellular phone valued $75,000.
The second charge stated that on August 27, last, at High Street, Werk-en-Rust, while being in the company of others and armed with a cutlass, he robbed Krishna Seenarine of $4,000.
The court heard that on the day in question, the victims claimed that as they were walking away from their business place, Long approached them holding a cutlass and demanded that they hand over their valuables.
Long allegedly then told them to run, while he made good his escape.
The victims later reported the matter to the police, triggering an investigation, which resulted in Long’s arrest.
While at the station, Long was said to have been positively identified by his professed victims.
The court also heard that Long was released from prison in March 2017 after serving a one-year term of imprisonment for escaping from the Lusignan Prison back in July 2017.
Long was among three prisoners who pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody during their arraignment at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court. He had made an appearance before Magistrate Peter Hugh before whom he pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced.
The massive jailbreak was discovered around 07:00hrs on July 24, 2017, when prison wardens, carrying out a routine count, determined that 13 prisoners were unaccounted for.
Further checks revealed that a tunnel was dug and tracks were found leading towards the Lusignan Backlands. A massive Joint Services Operations codenamed ‘Clean Sweep’ was intensified to recapture the men.
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