Fugitive Colin Jones was yesterday charged with murdering two of his former gang members and another man and was jailed for eight years on a series of other charges including cultivation of ganja and possession of an unlicensed weapon and ammunition.
He was jointly charged along with Randy Mars and Jafar Simpson for discharging a loaded firearm, murder and setting fire to a building.
Among the other charges levelled against Jones are murder, attempted murder and escaping lawful custody.
Meanwhile, Devon Thompson and Ulilie Nichola Mc Kweed were accused separately of harbouring Colin Jones and Kurt Thierens who were wanted by the police.
A total of 19 charges were levelled against five defendants. Jones was arraigned on 15.
The allegation against the jointly-charged Jones, Mars and Simpson for four counts of discharging loaded firearms, is that on November 4, 2009 at Georgetown, they discharged loaded firearms at Carl Marls; police constable, Clayton Westford; police constable Rajindra Singh and police detective Damintra Intrapaul. The defendants were accused of discharging loaded firearms with intent to commit murder on the virtual complainants. The men were not required to plead to the indictable charges. This was in connection with an attack on the Brickdam Police Station on November 4, 2009.
Further, on November 4, 2009 at Georgetown; Jones, Mars and Simpson are accused of setting fire to the Supreme Court of Judicature. They were also not required to enter a plea to this charge.
It is further alleged that on July 27, 2009 at the Providence Police Station, Colin Jones; being a prisoner on a criminal charge of setting fire to the Ministry of Health building, escaped from lawful custody. To this charge the accused was also not required to plead.
It was at this point of the 50-minute hearing which saw a lengthy reading of charges and submissions by both the defence and prosecution; that prosecutor Stephen Telford took to the floor and presented the prosecution’s facts of the case.
According to Telford, on the days mentioned, the defendants unleashed attacks on the places mentioned in the charge. Jones, he said, also escaped from the police station at Providence after being arrested and taken there. The prosecutor then requested that the men be remanded to prison and a date set for reports after indicating to the court that further advice is still to be sought from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) as to the way forward in the matters.
Medical examination
It was at this point that Jones’s defence counsel George Thomas tried in a continuous but unsuccessful bid in requesting that his client be granted a medical examination saying that he was psychologically unfit to stand trial.
Thomas however made an application for Mars of 29 West La Penitence and 17 year old Simpson of 30 West Ruimveldt Squatting Area to be granted their pretrial liberty saying that they boast previously unblemished records.
He said too that the men pose no risk of flight, have fixed addresses and have been cooperating with the police. He noted also that Mars is a father of a two-year-old and the sole breadwinner of his household and that Simpson has only recently secured employment.
The lawyer vowed to ensure that his clients return to stand trial as they are aware of the consequence of failing to do so.
As the proceedings continued, Mars and Simpson were arraigned on charges of attempted murder and murder.
It is alleged that between November 3 and 4, 2009 at Loo Creek, Linden Soesdyke Highway, the men duct-taped the face of Roopchand Gopaul and Shawn Edmonton with intent to murder them.
During the same period also; Jones, Mars and Simpson are accused of murdering Woodette Roberts. The men were again not required to plead to the indictable charges. This charge related to the hijacking of a vehicle and its occupants. Roberts died during this ordeal.
Jones, who at this time stood alone in the docks before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, was told that he was charged alone on two counts of murder, discharging a loaded firearm, cultivating cannabis, two counts of unlicensed ammunition possession and two counts of unlicensed firearm possession.
The allegation against Jones is that between November 10 and 26, 2010 at Amelia’s Ward Backdam Linden, he murdered Adriano Tracey and Kurt Thierens. On November 25 at Central Amelia’s Ward Linden; he allegedly unlawfully discharged a loaded firearm at Leslie Corlette with intent to maim, disfigure or cause grievous bodily harm to the said Leslie Corlette. He was not required to plead to these charges when they were read to him.
Jones however admitted that on November 26 at Amelia’s Ward Linden, he cultivated cannabis; a prohibited plant.
He accepted too that on November 26 at Amelia’s Ward, he had in his possession 691 rounds 7.62×39 mm ammunition without licence. On the same day too, Jones said that he had in his possession three AK-47 rifles without licence.
In presenting the prosecution’s facts, Telford told the court that on November 25, 2010; based on certain information received, the police went to Amelia’s Ward where the defendant was seen and tried to escape but was later captured.
According to Telford, further checks by the police revealed the quantity of firearm and ammunition mentioned in the charge and which upon his [Jones’] arrest, he admitted ownership of.
The prosecutor went on to say that this defendant then led the police on November 26 to the Amelia’s Ward area where he kept the guns and also directed them to the cannabis farm which he said was his.
After the prosecutor presented its facts to the court, attorney Thomas once again took to the floor requesting that Jones be allowed a medical examination because of certain psychological incapacities.
Yes! I understand what the police is saying and I am guilty
After Jones entered the first guilty plea to the summary charges levelled against him, Thomas swiftly got up and asked the court not to acknowledge the man’s guilt. However, his client maintained that he understood exactly what was doing and kept entering guilty pleas to the court. It was at this point that Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry asked the defendant whether or not he understood what he was saying and if he accepted the prosecution’s facts to the matters to which he pleaded guilty.
In a clear and rapid response Jones said, “Yes! I understand what the police is saying and I am guilty.”
When asked by the sitting magistrate to respond to the attorney’s submission that he be granted a medical evaluation, prosecutor Telford said that, “the court had executed its mandate of reading the charges to the defendant who repeatedly said that he was guilty as charged.”
Under theses circumstances, Telford disagreed with a medical examination being conducted.
The acting chief magistrate who then went through each summary charge with the defendant again, explaining that he would be imprisoned based on his admission, asked him if he wanted to respond to his lawyer’s request that he [Jones] be given a medical examination
Sporting short locks, Jones who appeared focused, alert and composed repeatedly maintained however that nothing was wrong with his mental faculties and that there was no need for him to be mentally evaluated.
“I don’t need one [medical evaluation],” Jones said firmly. Adding, “I know and understand what is happening and what I am saying.”
The defendant further indicated to the court that he understood the charges being read to him, the consequences and all that was happening around him.
Harboured
Meanwhile, Deon Thompson, a grass cutter and landscaper of 924 South Amelia’s Ward Linden denied that between August 14, 2009 and November 26, 2010, he knowingly harboured Colin Jones and Kurt Thierens whose photos were published in the media and were wanted by the Guyana Police Force for a series of murders and arsons.
Ulilie Nichola Mc Kweed also denied that between August 14, 2009 and November 26, 2010, she knowingly harboured Jones and Thierens whose photos were published in the media and were wanted by the Guyana Police Force for a series of murders and arson.
Telford objected to Thompson and Mc Kweed being admitted to bail citing the offence as a serious one. He said too that it had become public knowledge that the men were wanted since their pictures were published.
He said that knowing this, Thompson entertained the men and even bought an outboard engine for their use and comfort. As it relates to Mc Kweed, the prosecutor said that she was the fiancée of now dead Thierens and on three occasions had been sent by him to Western Union to uplift money on his behalf. Telford said too that the woman is presently on remand in relation to a narcotics trafficking charge.
Both unrepresented Thompson and Mc Kweed were remanded to prison. Their matters were transferred to the Christianburg Magistrates’ Court for December 14.
All the defendants were denied their pretrial liberty. Meanwhile for the charges to which Jones pleaded guilty he was sentenced. For the unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition charges on which he was arraigned alone, Jones was ordered to pay a fine of $75,000 for each and to serve four years which will run concurrently.
For cultivating cannabis, he was ordered to pay a $30,000 fine and serve four years imprisonment.
The Loo Creek matters were adjourned to December 6 and were transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court.
Those involving Jones, Mars and Simpson were adjourned to January 5 and will return to the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court; while those at Amelia’s Ward were transferred to the Christianburg Magistrate’s Court for December 15.
A large crowd had converged in the court yard to get a glimpse of the heavily shackled Jones and the other defendants who arrived under heavy police presence surrounding them with guns. The crowd however was soon put out of the precinct after visibly angry and emotional family members of the defendants started shouting and screaming as they were moved by tears upon learning that they were remanded.
Initial reports reaching Stabroek News are that Jones had told investigators that the gang had been at the Kara Kara Creek location for about 16 months. Commissioner of Police Henry Greene said that last Friday was not the first time police had visited the Kara Kara Creek location in relation to this matter.
