After one decade of talking...Night Court finally commences

After one decade of talking…Night Court finally commences

Oct 11, 2016 News

…five magistrates attack backlog
The first sitting of the Night Court commenced last evening at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, with at least five Magistrates presiding over summary offences.

The first sitting of the night commenced at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, yesterday.

Magistrate Beverly Bishop-Cheddie, Magistrate Brendon Glasford, Magistrate Madan Kissoon, Magistrate Leslie Benjamin and Magistrate Liza Hanoman were assigned temporally, to preside over these matters. The magistrates will occupy Courts 8, 9, 6, 10, 11 and 12.
The night court hearings commenced at 3:00 pm yesterday. Night courts are scheduled to be heard from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm every day. It is part of a new approach by the administration, to tackle the judicial backlog.
As such, six courts sat for the first hearing. Yesterday, Magistrate Kissoon heard two in camera matters. In one of the cases, Akasie Primo was charged with stealing a Samsung cellular phone valued at $59,900 from a schoolboy. He pleaded guilty to the offence.
He was therefore remanded to prison to facilitate a probation report scheduled to be presented today. Other summary matters heard yesterday included those for assault and wandering.
The idea for the night court was amplified after the March 3, 2013 prison unrest at the Georgetown Prison at Camp and D’Urban Streets where 17 inmates, most of whom were on remand, lost their lives.
Out of a Commission of Inquiry into the unrest, one of the solutions highlighted was for Government to undertake initiatives to reduce the quantum of backlogged cases. The Night Court is expected to improve the rate at which cases are heard in the Magistracy.
A high level meeting between representatives of Government and the judiciary was held and it was announced that night courts will be established.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan; and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams.
Representing the judiciary were Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Carl Singh, Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack and Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.
It was suggested that during the initial stages of the initiative, the temporary magistrates employed would be qualified attorneys-at-law to serve with the already sitting magistrates.
A total of $25M was secured by government to finance the payment of salaries of the temporary magistrates and ancillary staff. President David Granger had communicated his favourable assurance towards establishing the courts through Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.
For many years, the issue of backlogged cases was found to be responsible for this high prison population which resulted in the overcrowding of the penal system.
After the COI into the riot was completed, it was revealed that 60 per cent of inmates were on remand. Of that amount, 50 per cent had been awaiting trial for more than three years and a further 30 per cent for more than four years.
The report said that these figures and the lack of effective – or even ineffective action to remedy them pointed to serious dysfunction in the administration of justice.
It was highlighted that delayed trials contributed significantly to the overcrowding.
Also, failures on the part of agencies of the state had attributed to the state of the prison. These include the judiciary, Magistracy, Probation Service, the Parole Board, Prison Visiting Committees and the Ministry of Public Health.
Meanwhile the daily sitting of the court is expected to continue everyday from 9:00 hrs to 14:30 hrs.