Prince Wilkie, the 17-year-old who is accused of murdering Dwayne Durant during last year’s Diwali motorcade, was on April 27 discharged of the capital offence and then rearrested, after prosecutors charged him under a repealed law.
Attorney Glenn Hanoman, who is representing Wilkie, told Stabroek News that two matters his client faced were discharged. With regards to the first matter, he said, the DPP wrote a letter stating that he was charged under a law that no longer exists. He further stated that the section was repealed and another was substituted.
The amended law was implemented sometime in October last year and although the then 16-year-old made his first court appearance in November, before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, he was still charged under the old law. This was due to the negligence of persons involved in the matter.
As a result, the prosecution proceeded with the Preliminary Inquiry into the matter under the old law, which is now considered void. With regards to the second charge, it was discharged because it was badly worded.
The teen appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday, and the matter was adjourned by Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry to today.
Durant was fatally stabbed to his neck.
