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Guyana-born judge to preside at historic hearing in Belize

Feb 14, 2012 Letters

 

 

DEAR EDITOR,
Belize is the first country to conduct a criminal trial without a jury, and a Guyanese will be the first judge to preside at the hearing.
The country’s parliament passed legislation recently, paving the way for such a move.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow, who is a Senior Counsel, told Parliament that the new law was necessary, since it provides for the anonymity of witnesses and the admission of witness statements into evidence at a criminal trial to ensure the safety of witnesses. He added that the new measure will clarify the provisions regarding the imposition and execution of the death sentence for capital offences, and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
A few prominent lawyers who are opposed to the government argued that the practice of trial without jury would create opportunity for false statements to be entered as evidence simply based on malice.
The new legislation also allows the prosecution to apply for trial without a jury where there is a danger of tampering, if trial is likely to be burdensome to the jury or where an accused person believes that because of pre-trial publicity, he is unlikely to have a fair trial.
Newly-appointed Chief Justice of Belize, Guyanese Kenneth Benjamin is to hear the first criminal case without a jury. It is a case of attempted murder in the shooting of attorney at law, Rodwell Williams, who is a partner of the Prime Minister’s law firm, Barrow & Williams.
Justice Benjamin adjourned the hearing of the case to February 27 to allow one of the two accused who is unrepresented to retain Counsel. Two young men, Ricky Valencia and Akeem Thurton, are charged with shooting the attorney minutes after he left his Chambers in June 2010. Williams’ injuries were life-threatening and he had to be taken out of the country for treatment.
Oscar Ramjeet

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