After being threatened with a dismissal, the prosecution in the 2006 Kaieteur News killings case, which is being heard in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, yesterday called a witness but he only had less than five minutes of evidence to give before the matter was adjourned.
The three defendants, Jermaine `Skinny’ Charles, Dwight Da Silva and Quincy Evans, all expressed their dissatisfaction to Magistrate Gordon Gilhuys about the pace of that case and the other murders with which they have been charged.
When the case was called late last year, the prosecution did not have any witnesses present. The magistrate instructed the prosecution to get its act together by the next occasion.
At yesterday’s hearing, Police Orosecutor Robert Tyndall told the court that he had about four police witnesses present to give evidence. He then called Coobeer Persaud, the brother of one of the victims to the stand, to give evidence.
Evans’ lawyer Compton Richardson was not present at yesterday’s hearing and when asked, Evans could not say why he was not there. The magistrate later said that the evidence would be taken in his absence.
Persaud’s testimony did not last long and the three defendants as well as Tyndall declined to ask him any questions.
The magistrate then asked for the other prosecution witnesses. The names of six persons, including policemen, were called and when they failed to show up, the magistrate indicated that the matter would have to be adjourned. He subsequently asked if there were any witnesses for any of the other murder matters.
Tyndall indicated that there was one police witness but he was not properly briefed and as such he could not take the stand.
The magistrate noted with concern that many witnesses were not appearing to give evidence but the defendants were coming and going all the time.
“This PI [preliminary inquiry] isn’t getting to finish,” he said with concern before pointing out that there were police witnesses in other matters against the three. He said that on the last occasion the defendants said they wanted the Barbot Paul matter to be called.
“I said on the last occasion that the men are complaining about the witnesses,” the magistrate said.
It was at this point the trio started voicing their concerns. Da Silva questioned the whereabouts of all the police witnesses that the prosecution said they had. They also expressed concern about the length of time they have been incarcerated with hardly any evidence being taken. The magistrate then announced that the matters would be called frequently so that they could be disposed of and he warned the prosecution to be prepared.
The matters will continue on Thursday.
Along with the trio, Terrence John, Delwayne Carrington and a teenager who has been referred to as ‘Nasty Man’ all share some joint murder charges and they appeared in court yesterday.
During the proceedings, the teenager sat quietly in the dock, while his elders voiced their concerns.
Charles has been charged along with Da Silva with the murder of Barbot Paul, the Kaneville, East Bank Demerara businessman who was shot and killed outside his home on August 6, 2006. Charles is also accused of killing Devon Charles of Agricola on June 23; Guilford Henry on June 26, 2005 and 12-year-old Kevin Browne on March 18, 2006. He shares the Browne murder charge Browne with Dego France.
Charles is also charged with Da Silva and Evans with being part of a group of men who allegedly murdered five Kaieteur News pressmen – Chetram Persaud, Eion Wegman, Richard Stewart, Mark Maikoo and Shazeem Mohamed. On August 8, 2006 the trio, John and Carrington allegedly killed Wordsworth Grey. The 13-year-old boy was also charged with that murder.
After Charles appeared in court charged with these murders, he was also charged shortly after with the murders of former agriculture minister Satyadeow Sawh, Rajpat Sawh, Phulmattie Persaud and Curtis Robinson on April 22, 2006 at La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara. The matter is currently being heard at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.
