.jpg)
The group was protesting peacefully outside the court, but when the police van arrived on the premises with Wallace seated in the cab, the protesters became disorderly and began shouting, “Treat him like a murderer! Don’t give him special treatment!”
Before the accused entered the court, the mother of the deceased Grant, who was clad in all-white traditional African wear, prostrated herself before the entrance doors of the court and cried. She also crawled on the ground and cried for justice.
As Wallace entered the court with his head fully covered, the protesters began shouting, “Murderer! Murderer!”
Grant’s mother shouted, “Yuh covering yuh face now; don’t cover it, cause when yuh kill meh son yuh didn’t cover yuh face!”
When Wallace was brought inside the courtroom, Grant’s mother was seated in the audience, and she attempted to take Wallace’s photograph with her phone; but a police rank saw what she was doing, and ordered her to step outside.
When the matter was called, Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry invited the woman to return into the court room, and there asked her if she had indeed been taking a photograph in the court.
The woman responded in the affirmative, and added that she did not succeed in her enterprise. The magistrate then informed the woman that taking photographs is prohibited in court. She warned the woman not to engage in that activity again, but allowed her to sit in the court during the hearing.
Police Corporal Kerry Bostwick, prosecuting, informed the court that the prosecution’s file has not as yet been completed. He requested a one-week adjournment in the case, informing the court that efforts are being made to arrest the other two accused, Corporal Warren Blue and Special Constable Jamal Lewis, who were jointly charged with Wallace. He added that the prosecution has approximately 30 witnesses to call.
Defence Counsel Nigel Hughes, who is watching the interest of the family of the deceased, questioned what efforts the police were making to locate the other two accused. He said he was aware only that wanted bulletins had been issued in the daily newspapers for the men.
The magistrate adjourned the case to October 29, and informed the police that she was giving them enough time to arrest the other accused in order that she might conduct one preliminary inquiry (PI).
She noted that if the others are not arrest by then, the prosecution must be prepared to sever the charge and proceed with the PI against Wallace only.
Outside the courthouse, the protesters gather at the main entrance of the building to get Wallace’s photograph, but became irate when the police managed to slip Wallace into the prison van without anyone seeing.
As the prison van attempted to depart with Wallace at the back of the van, the angry protesters crowded that van and began hitting the windscreen until it broke.
The group blocked the van’s egress by sitting in front of the van and placing pieces of wood behind the wheel.
Upon realizing that they could not move the van, the police reversed the vehicle in the lock-ups area and allowed Wallace to return to the holding cell.
The protesters became angrier, and stood in front of the court chanting, “We not moving until we see he face!”
Among the protesters were Grant’s relatives, friends and sympathizers, including political activist Mark Benschop.
At around 16:00 hours, the protesters still had not allowed Wallace to go back into the vehicle. They began hitting the windscreen until police reinforced their presence in the area. The police eventually allowed Wallace to walk to the prison van, and the protesters began spitting on the accused.
Protesters eventually allowed the police van to depart with Wallace.
