Judge wants to see detainee today

A man who has been detained by the police for almost a month, has been ordered to face the court tomorrow, following instructions from Parish Judge Leighton Morris in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

His order follows an application by attorney Charles Williams, who is representing the detainee.

“When you call the lock-up, all they say he is coming to court tomorrow or Friday, but there is no file submitted. At Hunts Bay, they do the vetting of the files and then they send the files to Half-Way Tree, hopefully two or three days before court. The investigating officer has been coming to me for the past three weeks or so, saying, ‘Mr Williams, be patient, we are going to bring the matter’,” the attorney informed the court.

The police indicated to the court that the detainee has been in custody since July 31 and has been charged with rape.

“Twenty-three days? It is imperative that he gets his first day in court so we can have a conversation about what his rights are. The matter is to be brought to court tomorrow morning so he can be afforded his day in court,” Judge Morris instructed.

“We are grateful for Your Honour’s intervention,” Williams said.

– T.T.