A Byera man who said his neighbours have been harassing him since he was free of a murder charge has been fined for possession of an offensive weapon.
Roneake Burke, 31, also told the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court today (Monday) that the neighbours harass him even though he spent 18 months in jail in connection with the murder charge.
Burke was freed after a preliminary inquiry into a charge that he murdered Wayne Fitzgerald Gregory Morris, who died on Oct. 26, 2018 as a result of chop wounds.
The killing occurred in the road leading to Manning Village, Byera
On Monday, Magistrate Bertie Pompey found Burke guilty of possession of an offensive weapon.
The complainant, Cecelia “Girlin” Durrant, told the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court that on July 2, about 8:30 p.m., she and her common law husband, Winston “Bombocake” Bailey were driving into their yard having returned from a funeral.
She said Burke, who was passing in the road close to them said, “You have to have f***ing license for gun? You don’t have to have f***ing license for gun!”
She said Burke pulled a cutlass from his waist and dragged it on the road twice as he made the statements.
Durrant said the defendant went home but returned about 15 minutes later, stood under her back wall and said, “Girlin and Bombocake alyo f***ing dead sure.”
Prosecutor, Corporal Delando Charles asked Durrant how she was able to identify the defendant.
Durrant said she recognised his voice as they grew up in the same community.
She said that a streetlight is very close to her house and that nothing was blocking the view.
The investigating officer, Police Constable 617 Hackshaw testified that the distance between the patio and the street light is about 10 feet.
In a caution statement to the police, Burke said he, Durrant and her common law husband are not friends and they have been harassing him ever since the death of her brother.
He said they felt that he ambushed and killed their brother and they did not get satisfaction.
Burke said he spent 18 months in prison on remand in connection with the death and he keeps far from the family and tries not to have anything to do with them.
He told the court that he was going to Byera when “Girlin was on her porch with a cutlass knocking up on her porch saying that I ambush their brother and they not taking it like that.”
Burke then told the court he had nothing more to say.
He, however, added that he would tell the court exactly what Durrant had said:
“She say ah me ambush Teybay and they nar tek it like that.”
Under cross examination by the prosecutor, Corporal Delando Charles, Burke said he didn’t have a cutlass that night and that he could not recall if a streetlight was 10 feet away from the virtual complainant’s residence.
Pompey found Burke guilty of the charge and fined him EC$500, with EC$250 to be paid forthwith or two months imprisonment.
The balance must be paid in one month or Burke must serve two months in prison.
Burke was also bonded for a year in the sum of EC$1,000. If he breaches the bond, he must pay the sum forthwith or spend four months in prison.
Burke asked the magistrate for time to pay the fine.
However, the magistrate told him,” You’re supposed to get money when you make trouble.
“Seems like you’re coming back all the time,” Pompey told Burke, adding that the bond is a way of keeping him out of trouble and the courtroom.
“Stay out of trouble,” the magistrate urged the defendant.
Burke’s previous convictions include for possession of an offensive weapon, burglary, using threatening language, assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and wounding.
Take Mr Pompey out of the places where he knows people are there family,jus saying