The Petit Bordel woman charged with malicious wounding after she allegedly almost severed her goddaughter’s arm during a cutlass attack on May 14 has been slapped with two additional charges.
On Monday at the Serious Offences Court, Margaret “Ole Gyal” Smith, 35 was further charged that on May 14 at Petit Bordel, she assaulted Leron Green of Petit Bordel, occasioning actual bodily harm.
She was also charged that on the same date and place, without lawful excuse, in a public place, the Petit Bordel Public Road, she had in her possession an offensive weapon, to wit a stone.
Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delplesche told the court that the charges are linked to the May 14 incident in which Smith is charged with chopping Teresha Edwards, 20, also of Petit Bordel.
Edwards is the goddaughter of the accused woman.
The attack was video recorded and circulated on social media.
On Monday, Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delplesche told the court that the file is making its way back to the Officer of the Director of Public Prosecution, where it will be perused again ahead of a preliminary inquiry.
The preliminary hearing was set for Oct. 22.
Delplesche did not ask for any adjustment to the woman’s bail, with was set initially in the sum of EC$7,000 with one surety.
The court had also ordered Smith to report to the Chateaubelair Police Station on Mondays and Thursdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Edwards underwent surgery to treat the injury to her arm.
She needed to get more than 70 stitches in the immediate aftermath of the injury, which has left her with limited mobility in her fingers.
ABUSE OF POLICE POWERS OR MOCKERY OF LAW?
Those who are familiar with law enforcement would know in certain criminal
offence, ‘…the greater includes the lesser.’
For instance, a charge of ‘…murder,’ implicitly includes the lesser charge of
‘…manslaughter.’
These shall be properly and fully explained to Jury, lest they are allowed to
reach verdicts ‘…pregnant with travesty.’
In the charge of wounding the weapon (e.g. a stone) used, retrieved and identified,
becomes the physical exhibit and has evidential value.
No one is charged with being armed with a stone. This is obtained in most ‘OECS’
jurisdictions.
Accepting this news report, it boggles the mind that a ‘…linked’ charge of being
unlawfully armed with an offensive weapon, to wit a stone’ came up after almost
five months of its alleged commission.
Suggestive of a kill, at best it seemed ‘…an Abuse of Police powers’ or worse,
‘…Making Mockery of Law.’
To engage the attention of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) with such a
mundane summary offence, triable only by a Magistrate, may also be seen as
‘…Abuse of process.’
While the law shall be enforced, it enhances not law enforcement professionalism
or augurs well for police/public or community relations.
Law enforcement may not always ‘…go for the kill.’ God, Help the indigent accused/defendant.
That said, they shall also endeavor to keep away from institutional residency.