JUSTICE Navindra Singh yesterday fined protesting murder accused Rondell Bacchus $18,000 for displaying contempt in the face of the court, and ordered that the tall, burly prisoner, who appeared before the court in chains, be returned to the prison until December 8, when his retrial will proceed with or without him.

The prisoner, whose first trial before Justice Navindra Singh approximately one year ago had ended in a hung jury which had been unable to reach a verdict, had his retrial listed before the same judge, and was consequently contending that he does not wish to be tried by Justice Navindra Singh.

Pandemonium broke out at the High Court yesterday when the accused (in chains) attempted to jump out of the dock. Using expletives at the judge and shouting at the top of his voice, the prisoner contended that it was unfair for him to be retried by Justice Navindra Singh because the judge did not give him a fair trial at the last occasion.

Filthy language was the order of the day as the prisoner shouted to the top of his voice, telling the judge, “You are a crazy f*****g man! You will try my case over my dead body!”

A number of policemen, including Sgt. Wishart of the Police Out-post, had to use strategy to contain the prisoner, who was bent on protesting against Justice Navindra Singh trying his case a second time.

Prosecutrix Mrs. Judith Mursalin noted that the law would have been on the prisoner’s side if had been a caution statement & voir dire to be determined. But, according to her, there is no caution statement in the matter.

(By George Barclay)