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622 cases disposed of at Night Courts
– as five Magistrates successfully attack backlog
A total 622 cases were heard in the Night Courts from the period October 19, 2016 to February 28, 2017 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts
The Magistrates who were assigned to tackle the backlog were Magistrate Beverly Bishop-Cheddie, Magistrate Brendon Glasford, Magistrate Madan Kissoon, Magistrate Leslie Benjamin and Magistrate Liza Hanoman.
Magistrate Kissoon heard 113 matters in Courts 10 and 11; Magistrate Bishop- Cheddie heard 110 matters in Court Six, Magistrate Glasford heard 146 matters in Court 12, Magistrate Benjamin heard 149 matters in Courts Eight and Nine and Magistrate Hanoman heard a total of 105 matters in Court Seven.
The introduction of night court has helped to ease the delay and cleared the backlog that had been accumalating for some time.
The number of cases reaching the court increased and it was becoming an insurmountable task to have timely trials.
In order to reduce that huge backlog of cases, prosecutors should strive to minimize the extent of postponements. All too often defence lawyers and prosecutors complain about not being ready for trial, one magistrate said.
After almost six months in operation the last sitting of the Night Court was held on February 28 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The first sitting of the Night Court was held on October 19, last, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Madan Kissoon
With the conclusion of the Night Court all the matters that were unable to be completed was transferred to Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, for reassignment to the day court Magistrates.
Kaieteur News understands that if there is further accumulation of cases, the Night Court will resume to tackle these matters.
Some of the summary matters that have been heard at the Night Courts are assault causing actual bodily harm, simple larceny, threatening and abusive language, threatening language, attempt to commit a felony, robbery with violence, fraudulent conversion, break and entry, unlawfully and maliciously wounding.
The need for a Night Court was amplified after the March 3, 2016 prison unrest at the Georgetown Prison at Camp and D’Urban Streets when 17 inmates on remand, lost their lives.
Out of the Commission of Inquiry into the unrest, one of the solutions highlighted was for the Government to undertake initiatives to reduce the quantum of backlogged cases.
After a high level meeting was held between the representative of Government and the Judiciary the Night Court was established.
A total of $25M was secured by the Government to finance the payment of salaries of the five temporary magistrates and ancillary staff.
President David Granger had communicated his favourable assurance towards the establishment of the Night Court.
For many years the issue of backlogged cases was found to be responsible for the high prison population which resulted in the overcrowding of the penal system.
Meanwhile, the daily sitting of the court is expected to continue Monday- Fridays from 09:00hrs to0 14:30hrs.
The Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Justice Carl Singh said that Night Court has fulfilled its purpose.
After the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into 2016 the unrest was completed, it was revealed that 60 percent of inmates were on remand. Of that amount, 50 percent had been awaiting trial for more than three years and a further 30 percent 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 contributed 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.
Following a high level meeting between representatives of Government and the Judiciary was held and it was announced that night courts will be established.
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