Defendant wants new Lawyer, cites CONFLICT in Gun Charge

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By Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Reporter

#TurksandCaicos, June 5, 2023 – Attorney and Governor's appointed member Willian Belliard was challenged and rejected by an accused inmate Luciano Paul who is charged with carrying firearm and ammunition; which appeared twice before the judge last month.

The defendant has ‘politely’ raised issue with Belliard's representation given the fact that he was one of the members in the House of Assembly who voted in favor of the newly passed gun laws. The defendant expressed discomfort and serious concern with the attorney and Governor's appointed member being his defense counsel in a firearm and ammunition trial against him.

Justice Baptiste in the Grand Turk Supreme Court on the 09th and 22nd May after hearing the accused stood the matter down so the assignment of legal aid can be reviewed or addressed again by the Registrar of The Supreme Court.

Paul is on remand at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since his arrested in January 2022 for illegal entry and the firearm charges.

The allegation is that he brought a bag containing the illegal items on a Haitian sloop which reportedly ran out of fuel in the Ambergris Cay area. The accused and other migrant passengers were apprehended when local authorities arrived on the cay. It is than, that securities from the Cay and official law enforcement authorities fingered Luciano Paul as the man who carried the bag with the alleged illegal items that was discovered.

Among them a weapon tucked away in what appeared to be a backpack.

The matter will be re-called for a mention hearing on June 7, 2023. A trial date is to be fixed after the assignment of an appropriate, ‘non-conflicted’ attorney.

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#Guyana, June 5, 2023 – The case against the 15 year old girl charged with 19 counts of murder from last week's fire at the Mahdia Secondary School in Guyana, was adjourned to July 5th by Magistrate Sunil Scarce.

The name of the suspect can not be revealed under Guyanese law which prohibits the naming of juvenile accused people or convicts. However, given that she is older than 14 years, it is allowed for her to be charged with murder.

The blaze was allegedly started by her on May 21st, in anger with the dorm administrator over the confiscation of her mobile phone.

She went before the Diamond Magistrate's Court over zoom, and was not required to enter a plea.

However, come July 5th when the case resumes, it will be for statement and disclosure. State and defense lawyers will indicate whether they are ready to start a preliminary trial. If she is found guilty, it will be a lifetime in prison for her.

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#TurksandCaicos, June 5, 2023 – Officers of the Serious Crimes Unit of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Force are investigating four separate incidents of robberies that occurred over the weekend in Providenciales.

Based on preliminary reports, at around 9:22p.m. on May 27th, a call was placed to the Police Control Room informing officers of a robbery on Sandbar Street , Five Cays. The victims of the robbery – a male and female- reported they were inside a parked vehicle when a vehicle pulled alongside them and four armed men exited. The armed men proceeded to rob the victims of their valuables and vehicle.

Around 9:27 p.m., a report was received from a male victim who stated whilst driving his vehicle behind the Paradise Baptiste Church, he was stopped by three males who were all wearing ski masks and heavily armed. The robbers got inside the victim's vehicle, pointed a gun at him, placed him in the back seat and drove off. The victim managed to jump out the moving vehicle and escaped.

At 9:50 p.m, the Police Control Room received a call of a robbery in progress at a Bar located along Academy Way, Downtown. RTCIPF officers were dispatched to the scene. Based on reports, two armed men entered the establishment and proceeded to rob the patrons. Two male victims were struck on the head with firearms by the robbers. The robbers escaped in a silver vehicle.

At 10: 07 p.m. , RTCIPF officers responded to a report of a robbery along Aviation Drive . The male victim stated that sometime after 9 p.m. he went to Glass Shack to drop off someone and in doing so was approached by four armed males who proceeded to rob him of his vehicle.

The victim stated he was struck and placed to the back of the said vehicle and driven to a financial institution to withdraw money from his account. He managed to escape.

At this stage the offences are being linked and a dedicated investigation team has been established.

The public is being advised to notify the closest police station and give any information regarding these robberies or any illegal activity anonymously.

Release: RTCIPF

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By Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Reporter

#TurksandCaicos, June 5, 2023 – It is DELIVERANCE CHERENFANT, 56 who was allegedly found with three irregular Haitians hiding in her apartment on May 2, 2023 behind Mara, Blue Hills Providenciales.

Immigration officials brought the female accused and the three found hiding out before The Honorable Chief Magistrate, Jolyon Hatmin on Tuesday 30th and Wednesday 31st May 2023 to answer to charges relating to Immigration offences.

Cherenfant is charged with three counts of harbouring illegal immigrants and she was granted bail to return to court on June 22, 2023.

The three individuals – two males and one female – allegedly found in the closet behind two separately locked doors, in her premises by Turks and Caicos Immigration authorities have all been sent to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in Grand Turk.

The 37-year-old woman, Jeannie Pierre was on May 31st sentenced to six months imprisonment for unlawful entry. She told the court through her attorney Finbar Grant that she knew it was wrong to illegally enter the TCI and that she left a child behind in her home country of Haiti.

The second individual found by Immigration in the apartment was Fredlin Desronvil. He pleaded guilty to unlawful entry, but when questioned by the Hon. Chief Magistrate Hatmin he said he didn't know he was coming Turks and Caicos.

He said through his counsel Finbar Grant, that his grandmother told him he was going get a job.

He never knew he was actually traveling to another country. He said he did not even know of Turks and Caicos. He was just following what his grandmother told him and that he was going to get a job.

The learned Chief Magistrate having heard this, refused to accept Desronvil's guilty plea and entered a not guilty plea for the record in order for the matter to be properly examined in a trial on June 16, 2023 before the Grand Turk resident Magistrate.

He was remanded to prison pending that trial.

The third defendant's case outcome will be conveyed in a future news report.

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