DPP wants to try double murder accused without preliminary hearing 

Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Sejilla McDowall will ask the High Court to send Aldon Thomas to trial before a judge and a jury without going through a preliminary inquiry.

However, his lawyer, Michael Wyllie told the Serious offences Court (SOC) on Thursday that the prosecution is making such a move because they have no evidence against his client.

A preliminary inquiry is a process through which a magistrate determines if there is enough evidence to send a case to the High Court for trial.

Thomas, 26, of Park Hill, is awaiting a preliminary inquiry into two murder charges in connection with the deaths of fellow villagers, Marvin Barker and Calvert “Vert” Smart.

The men’s bodies were found on March 25 at the back of a house in which Barker lived near the Park Hill Playing Field.

When the preliminary inquiry came up for hearing on Thursday, as scheduled, prosecutor Inspector of Police Renrick Cato told the SOC that the file was ready and was at the Office of the DPP.

Cato, however, informed the court that the prosecution would proceed by way of a voluntary bill of indictment.

Wyllie told the court that he understood what the prosecution was trying to do, saying that they were trying to get the charges before the High Court “because there is no evidence against the accused…

“Here, once you are charged with murder and another murder takes place in your area, you are the number one suspect even though there is no evidence against you. It is a ploy to keep you in jail,” Wyllie said.

Wyllie had made a similar claim when Thomas was arraigned on the double murder charges in April.

Wyllie noted on Thursday that Thomas was found not guilty of murder in an unrelated matter.

In July 2021, Thomas and Zane Lewis were charged with murder in connection with the death of Travez Fernandez, a bus conductor.

Fernandez’s body was found at South Rivers with a wound to the neck. 

The duo was freed of the charge after a trial at the High Court.

In relation to the current charges, Senior Magistrate Colin John told Wyllie that his objection was noted.

The magistrate, however, pointed out that the murder charges were laid in April.

He further said that the nine-month guideline within which the supreme court says such matters should be disposed of was yet to elapse.

John, therefore, granted an adjournment in the hearing.

Meanwhile, Cato said he would inform the court as to how far the prosecution had gotten with its application before the judge for a voluntary bill of indictment.