Magistrate shortage affects East Demerara courts

Feb 14, 2012 News

The recent resignation of Magistrate Fazil Azeez has plunged the Magistracy once again into a mini crisis.
Azeez left the bench at the end of last year forcing a reassignment of Magistrates in the various courts in the city and in Georgetown.
His place in Court Three of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court is being temporarily filled by East Coast Magistrate, Judy Latchman.
The move has certainly affected the smooth running of the operations at the Mahaica and Mahaicony Magistrate’s Courts.
Magistrate Latchman was previously holding court at Mahaica three days a week, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and at the Mahaicony Magistrate’s Court on Monday and Wednesday.
But with her now having to man Court Three in Georgetown, she can only preside at Mahaica and Mahaicony one day a week each.
This state-of-affairs is certainly affecting the work of the police on the East Coast of Demerara.
A senior official there told Kaieteur News that with only a one day per week, the courts can hardly hold trials and preliminary inquiries, when several new matters are taken into account.
“Since December we have hardly been able to do any trials. The Magistrate will come and do what she has to do but she can only do so much,” the senior police official said.
Previously, the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court dealt with about 30 to 40 matters on the three court days each week, and with over 100 matters engaging its attention, the court is hard pressed to dispense justice in a timely manner.
Kaieteur News understands that the Mahaica and Mahaicony court districts are currently dealing with three murder cases, one manslaughter and six counts of causing death by dangerous driving, which resulted from one accident.
Some litigants have expressed disgust over the situation, complaining that they have wasted significant time and resources attending court only to be turned away on many occasions.
The other courts on the East Coast of Demerara are adequately manned with Magistrate Alex Moore conducting hearings five days a week at Sparendaam and Nyasha Williams-Hatmin at Vigilance and Cove and John.
There is no telling when a permanent replacement for Magistrate Azeez will be appointed.
Magistrate Leslie Sobers was among the last Magistrates to be appointed. He is presently presiding at Providence on the East Bank of Demerara.

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Magistrate shortage affects East Demerara courts

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