Widow of alleged cop killer back in court

Sophia Singh, the widow of businessman Deon Singh who allegedly killed a policeman before committing suicide, made an appearance at the Corporate Area Criminal Court on Tuesday, to answer to recently laid charges against her stemming from the incident.

On July 22, the Singhs made their first appearance in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, facing three counts of fraudulent conversion and three counts of failure to deliver goods or services by a contracted date. The couple were discharged of criminal proceedings by Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell and were subsequently escorted from the courtroom by investigators for questioning. Sometime after 6 p.m., while police were attempting to arrest Deon at the Half-Way Tree Police Station, he allegedly disarmed a cop and shot Detective Sergeant Kevin Mayne. It is further alleged that Deon then shot himself. Both men were taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead.

Arising from that incident, Singh was charged with unlawful wounding and resisting arrest as well as an additional five counts of fraudulent conversion and five counts of non-delivery of goods and services by a contracted date.

"During the melee, she wanted to see what happened with her husband and she was in the custody of the police," Singh's attorney-at law Peter Champagnie K.C. submitted. Deon was reportedly buried last weekend.

However, the prosecutor discredited the senior attorney's submission.

"We are saying that the events happened in reverse. Mrs Singh wanted to be where her husband was and police told her that she cannot go where her husband was and that's when the struggle happened and later explosions were heard. On the day of the incident, both Mr and Mrs Singh were remanded," the prosecutor argued.

According to the medical certificate affixed to the Crown's file, the complainant suffered injuries to the third finger on her left hand. Doctors noted that the fingernail was noticed to be torn off from the nail bed.

But Burrell found issue with the prosecutor's arguments, stating she remembers the events clearly and does not remember remanding the Singhs in custody.

"The truth is there is one return court, and being the primary judge in the return court, she [Mrs Singh] was in court with me that day. When the matter was stood down, I recall [ name of police officer redacted] took the courtesy and extended it to me to indicate that they [the Singhs] were taken downstairs by the CIB [Criminal Investigations Branch] and they would be brought back up when the matters will be dealt with," she said.

"As far as I know, I didn't remand Mrs Singh and what I know also, and this is where hearsay comes in, is that Mr Mayne, came into my court for a remand and I know he went elsewhere for the remand. My simple question is this - because a remand does not mean you are under arrest and the law allows for the police to lawfully detain you - so my question is very simple. Was Mrs Singh placed under arrest? That's all I want to know," the senior jurist quizzed.

"It's not there [in the statement]," Champagnie responded, while the prosecutor, skimming through the case files, was not able to respond to the judge's enquiries.

"Seems like we not sure, let's come back another day," Burrell said.

The matter was adjourned until October 3 for mention. - T.T.