Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne Matthias, on Monday, decried the lack of accountability among police officers who had executed a bench warrant on a man and released him without bringing him to court.
“I can’t understand that a bench warrant is executed and then the person is let go,” the Chief Magistrate said, adding that she has a problem with that.
The magistrate expressed her displeasure with the situation after the accused, Clayton Cain, failed to appear in court after the police had released him.
“An accused person fails to turn up to the court, the bench warrant is executed and then the person is let go and then no accountability, no officer from Calliaqua is here to further account [for] what the position is. I have a big, big problem with that,” Browne-Matthias said.
She said that the accused person has never turned up to court.
“And the defendant is at his residence,” she said, adding that one day, a pastor had come to the court to say that the defendant had said that he could not attend court.
“This is crazy and just flagrant disregard for court attendance,” she said, adding that she is putting the matter for today (Tuesday).
“Obliged, your honour. Very much obliged,” said Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delplesche.
“This has just gone too far,” the chief magistrate further said.
Delplesche commented: “Your honour, it can’t go further than there. It has hit rock bottom. It could only come back up.”
The chief magistrate said the situation is “ridiculous.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” she said.
Cain was due in court in connection with a drug possession charge.
What is going on in the SVG Police? Cocaine disappears from the evidence locker. The most brutal officers get the “best officer” award. They let convicts go free. They beat-up innocent people and then find out they are innocent. They let evidence to be used in a trail go on display for the public to touch. Meat, to be used as evidence is allowed to rot. Is there a more incompetent Police Force to be found anywhere?
The SVG Police have become a disgrace to law inforcement
The entire judicial system needs a total purge. Reading these articles is so troubling. I think there needs to be severe administrative sanctions for Officers of the Court from the highest level to the lowest, who have flout their responsibilities. If such sanctions already exist, they need to be enforced.
It may seem excessive but something needs to be done and done soon.
Just more evidence, if it was ever needed, that our poorly selected, trained, and motivated police are the worst public service in the country. Yes, worse than the medical system.
Quite interesting. Some individual or individuals should be held accountable and also culpable for such actions. How can someone be taken into custody on a Bench Warrant and released without the authority of the Magistracy? Does the Police own the Courts?Are we really serious when it comes to dealing with Criminal activity in SVG?
The bigger question here we should ask is was corruption involved here. If so stomp it out early because it’s the root of bigger criminal activities to come