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Police to seek DPP advice to use child as witness
Sherwin Lewis
With a despondent look upon his face, 28-year-old, Sherwin Lewis, who is accused of unlawfully detaining a minor, made his second appearance before Magistrate Fazil Azeez at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
However, no additional charges were laid yesterday against Lewis, who is accused of detaining a four-year-old girl between Sunday, August 9, and Monday, August 10, last, with the intent of depriving her parents of possession of their child.
At the first hearing of the matter two Mondays ago, the Magistrate had noted that based on ongoing investigations, additional charges should have been laid against Lewis, a resident of Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara. It was disclosed then too that the accused was not being charged for the crime of kidnapping as no ransom was demanded upon the child’s disappearance.
Magistrate Azeez had however emphasised in court that the current charge that Lewis is facing is in fact a very serious one.
However, Police Prosecutor, Sherwin Matthews disclosed yesterday that the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) will be required to determine if the four-year-old could be called as one of the witnesses in the case before Azeez.
Matthews also revealed to this newspaper that police investigators are yet to establish other possible witnesses, which could include mother of the victim.
Lewis was remanded to prison until September 28 when he is expected to make another court appearance and at which time additional charges could be laid. The Magistrate further noted that he expects by the next court date he would be in receipt of a report on the investigation.
And should additional charges be laid, Azeez had noted that he could institute the Administration of Justice Act (AJA). Once the AJA Act is applied, the Magistrate revealed that he would commence a Preliminary Inquiry and the accused will be allowed the right to plead.
Azeez related at the previous hearing that he would reserve the right to refer the case to a judge and jury.
After disappearing from her parent’s home about three weeks ago, the missing child was rescued by a number of concerned residents last Friday who discovered that she was being held by the accused in a makeshift structure in an overgrown section of a burial ground.
Lewis, according to reports, was able to elude the angry residents but was later apprehended by officers of the Leonora Police Station.
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