THE accused in the Meeten-Meer-Zorg murder trial on Friday complained to Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry about an allegedly prejudicial act the police have committed in not transporting them to make their court appearance in the Wakenaam Magistrate’s Court.“It’s looking real racial, my Worship. We come to you and gotta beg to go to court for we freedom,” one of the defendants said whilst the other men sat in the prisoners’ dock.

The magistrate tried to get to the bottom of the issues facing the six men who were remanded to prison on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit a felony. It was reported that the magistrate had transferred their matter to the Wakenaam Magistrate’s Court on their last appearance before her in September, but for some reason they were never transported for their court hearing.

The men repeatedly stressed that the police had been negligent in not transporting them to court, but the Chief Magistrate said she was not certain if the Wakenaam magistrate had a court sitting on their scheduled day.

Just then, one of the defendants, Delwayne Croft, brought to the magistrate’s attention that police officers were taking other prisoners to the court without any issues.

Andrew Chandler, another accused, interjected Croft and complained that they had missed three court hearings: “Is bare sc*** y’all deh pon!” He said as he looked straight at the magistrate.

Surprised at his crude demeanour, the magistrate told Chandler that he was behaving in a disrespectful manner. Chandler immediately retracted his statement and said the court was disrespectful to their needs, given the present circumstances.

The magistrate, seeing now that he was blaming her for the pressing issue, said: “And you are being very unreasonable, since I have now found out about this…. It is not my fault.”
She later assured them that she was trying to help, and henceforth reminded Chandler that they were charged with the capital offence.

The magistrate then asked the prosecutor about the issue, and Corporal Bharat Mangru said that on the last occasion when they were present at court, it was flooded; and he had contacted the magistrate and they were placed on further remand. But before he could continue, the men accused him of lying to the magistrate.

Croft then stood and told the magistrate that he contacted his family and they told him they attend court as per normal, and his case is called but he is never there.“Court does be proceeding and we don’t get to go,” he said.

The magistrate then said she would immediately look into the matter, and asked the prosecutor to demand an immediate explanation. She later had the men returned to the lockups until further notice.