A Plaisance man was yesterday released on self-bail on a wounding charge after a court heard that he stabbed another man with an ice pick only to defend himself during an attack.
It is alleged that on February 27th, at Plaisance Railway Embankment, Jerome Smartt, 24, of 27 Middle Street, Plaisance, unlawfully and maliciously wounded Rawle Franklyn.
A wounded Smartt pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him by Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Better Hope Community Centre, where the hearings of the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court are temporarily being held.
According to Smartt’s attorney, Melvin Duke, his client was not the aggressor in the altercation. He added that on the day in question, Franklyn, who is known to the police, approached Smartt and started to curse him and began to broadside him with a cutlass. Smartt, in his defence, picked up an ice pick and injured him. The lawyer added that Franklyn, who had no serious injuries, was discharged from the hospital and should have been present in court since he too was facing a charge.
Police prosecutor David Goodridge, who had no objections to bail being granted to Smartt, admitted that Franklyn is a person who is known to the police, since he had already faced over 16 charges and there were two charges he had not yet appeared in court to answer to.
The prosecutor also expressed fear that if Franklyn was not in police custody, he would make another attempt to hurt Smartt. Franklyn has already allegedly threatened to take off Smartt’s head, the prosecutor told the court.
As a result, the magistrate ordered that Franklyn be arrested, while Smartt was subsequently released on self-bail and was ordered to return to court on April 6 for a fixture in the matter.
