Latest update December 17th, 2024 3:32 AM
Skinny’s uncle, woman charged with harbouring slain fugitive
William Younge
An Agricola man who claims to be the uncle of slain fugitive Jermaine ‘Skinny’ Charles and a 32-year-old female resident of Goedverwagting and Sophia were remanded yesterday after being charged with harbouring the wanted man.
William Younge, 32, of 133 Remus Street, Agricola, and Lutton Simon, of Lot 32 Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara, made their appearances at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson Ogle.
The two are charged with the offence of harbouring Jermaine Charles, called “Skinny”, while having knowledge that he was wanted for multiple murders, including that of the late Agriculture Minister Satyadeow Sawh.
The prosecution stated that, between June 26 and August 28, 2008, Younge and Simon knowingly harboured Charles, whose picture had been published at all law enforcement agencies.
Pleading not guilty to the charge, Younge said that “Skinny” is his nephew, and that on the day Charles died, the woman who was charged with him gave him a chain to put around the slain man’s neck at the funeral.
He said that the woman lives in Sophia and it was while the two where there that members of the Joint Services came to the house.
Younge said that Simon ran to the back of the house and refused to answer the door, but he told her to answer it because he has nothing to hide.
The accused said that they were subsequently arrested by the Joint Services.
According to Younge, while he was in custody the police kept asking about another wanted man named ‘Chrissy’.
The accused told the court that he knows ‘Chrissy’, but they were not really good friends. He added that he told the police he thinks that “Skinny” had sometimes used the man’s car. He also said that he gave the police the man’s (Chrissy’s) address.
Younge said that he did not pick the life that his nephew lived, adding that “you live by the gun you will die by the gun,” and remarked that he would never condone what his nephew did.
However, police prosecutor Sherwin Matthews said that bail should be denied, because the accused has another matter before the courts.
He also said that the man gave the police a wrong address when he was initially arrested.
Younge confirmed that he has another matter pending in the courts pertaining to an allegation of carnal knowledge.
When asked about his next court date, the accused told the magistrate that he is expected to return to court on September 20.
Magistrate Robertson-Ogle then pointed out to Younge that September 20 was a Sunday.
“You can clearly see that the accused does not attend court, because he can’t tell the magistrate the correct date,” Prosecutor Matthews said.
The acting Chief Magistrate then remanded the accused, who is scheduled to return to court next Monday (September 8).
The same charge of harbouring ‘Skinny’ was then read to number two defendant, Lutton Simon.
Asked what her plea was, Simon replied that she did not want to waste the court’s time, and claimed that she was not in her right state of mind.
The acting Chief Magistrate then entered a not guilty plea on her behalf and asked attorney-at-law Jonas Coddett, who was present in court, to offer his assistance to the accused.
After spending some time with Simon, Coddett told the court that the accused has five children, who are all under the age of thirteen, with the youngest being two months old.
The attorney stated that the woman operates a shop behind the University of Guyana. Coddett said that since Simon was incarcerated, she was denied the privilege of seeing her children.
As such, he questioned what would happen to Simon’s children if she is remanded? He then asked for bail in a reasonable sum for the accused.
However, police prosecutor Sherwin Matthews objected to bail on the ground that police did not know where Simon resides, since she had given them an incorrect address.
Secondly, he said, the offence for which Simon is charged is a serious one. In addition, he said that the prosecution has evidence which will show that Simon has connections with other wanted persons. Coddett then interjected and said that the accused was detained for longer than 72 hours.
He added that she has never been involved in any other police matter. According to the attorney, Simon, who has a brother in prison, would usually take food for him, and on two occasions ‘Skinny’ asked her to buy water for him.
He told the court that that was the only time she had spoken to ‘Skinny’.
Bail was, however, denied and the accused is expected to return to court on September 8.
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