Furious judge lashes tardy cops

The police were left red-faced on Monday after a tongue-lashing from Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell, who did not mince words when addressing their many shortcomings in legal procedures and courtroom operations.

The drama began when a female officer entered the courtroom wearing a "memorable red headband," a glaring breach of the dress code. Burrell, clearly unimpressed, reminded everyone of the long-standing rules.

"I think I've given everybody an opportunity to be reminded of the rules. Not rules that I have made up [but] rules that have existed and I've inherited," Burrell said. "I'm not entertaining any of these officers who are not properly attired for court in January."

But things got worse when the same officer failed to bring the complainant and the accused for her case, forcing the judge to address yet another oversight.

"I explained to them that they have two options: either they have to come to court to tell the judge they are not interested any more or they have to report to the station to give further statements," the officer explained. Burrell, however, was having none of it.

"Then what kind a foolishness that you tell the people them? They triggered prosecution by lodging a complaint, they have to be summoned. The officer have to get her people who she tell foolishness to come here, otherwise, they are going to be locked up," she declared.

The issues continued to pile up as another case was called. This time, the investigating officer was absent, and the case file was incomplete, despite the matter being before the court for its fifth hearing. The police liaison officer cited exams as the reason for the officer's absence. But Burrell was unimpressed.

"When you hand over a statement to the clerk on her feet, what is she to do with it? She doesn't even know if anything in it make sense. I just don't understand the stubbornness of the police," she fumed.

"Without fear of contradiction, the police are causing a lot of trouble in the return court with the matters progressing. It's not the private bar, it's not the prosecutors. It's the police!" The judge made an order for the absent cop to appear in court along with his exam timetable.