A police constable on Tuesday testified as the first witness at the preliminary inquiry (PI) for Ashanti Shultz who is accused of murdering a hospital porter during a shooting on Main Street.
The PI is taking place at Court Six of the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Oneidge Walrond-Allicock.
The magistrate on Tuesday ruled in favour of an application made by defence counsel Nigel Hughes to have statements given to the police in favour of Schultz turned over to the defence.
On her third court appearance and three weeks after she was charged with the murder of Kenrick Nero, the PI commenced with the testimony of police constable Kenton De Younge.
Earlier, police prosecutor Hugh Winter asked for an adjournment in the case.
Hughes objected saying that Schultz was brought to the court at lunch time when she was in Georgetown since the day before. He stated that the prosecution could not now request an adjournment when he was at the court since ten.
Hughes indicated that he wrote a letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) when he realized that the police may have contradictory statements in their file. He said that he also took statements from witnesses who stated that Schultz was not the person who did the shooting. He asked the magistrate to rule on his submission for the prosecution to disclose those statements to him and all the statements that are favourable to Schultz. He also requested the ballistics report.
Prosecutor Winter responded that they are conducting their case and when they are finished he would get the statement. He added that the ballistics expert will be testifying and Hughes will have the opportunity to question him.
Hughes responded that the prosecutor was obligated to give him the statements he requested under law and that he was not begging him nor was it a favour.
The magistrate ruled that the statements be given to the defence on the next occasion.
It was reported that Shultz along with other women were involved in an argument when she allegedly went to her car and took out the weapon. She then allegedly fired the shots in a wild manner hitting Nero who died and two other men while missing her intended target. At the time Nero was said to be sitting next to a ticket booth close to the New Courtyard Restaurant and Bar when he was hit.
The case was adjourned to October 15.
