Georgetown: Two Hundred and twenty-six cases are listed to be heard during the January 2012 Assizes. The Demerara Session is scheduled to be opened next week Tuesday while the February Assizes for Berbice is set for opening on February 7, 2012 and the Essequibo Assizes on February 21, 2012.
Last year saw a total of 60 cases receiving attention with 53 cases being presented in court and eight were nolle prosequi (dropped) by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). Of these, 40 were from the Demerara Assizes, 15 from the Berbice Assizes and six matters from the Essequibo Sessions.
There were 31 cases for the offence of murder, two cases for manslaughter, one case for incest, five cases for rape, one case for robbery under arms, three cases for causing grievous bodily harm, 12 cases for carnal knowledge, one case for buggery, three cases for attempt to commit murder, one case for wounding with intent and one case for causing death by dangerous driving.
Jail Delivery (the act of clearing of prisoners by bringing them to trial) was done by Madam Justice Dawn Gregory on Wednesday last bringing to an end the Demerara October 2011 Criminal Assizes. Two judges, Justice Winston Patterson and Madame Justice Dawn Gregory sat during the Demerara October 2011 Assizes to hear 206 matters.
Each Judge had a list of 103 matters for hearing of which six matters were tried during this Demerara October 2011 Assizes in the High Court of Demerara. Three trials were done by Justice Patterson. A unanimous verdict of not guilty was returned by the Jury for two of these matters which were for the offences of Murder and Carnal Knowledge of a girl under 15 years. In the third matter which was also for the offence of Murder there was a Hung Jury and therefore this case will have to be done over.
Madam Justice Dawn Gregory also completed three matters which were presented before her. In one of the matters, which was for the offence of Attempt to commit Murder the Jury, returned a verdict of guilty and the accused was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment minus the time served since 2007 to 2011. In the other two matters which were for the offence of Murder the Jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty. Of these six cases done for this Assizes there was one conviction despite there being strong evidence in the other five cases.
The DPP nolle prosequi (dropped) five matters, which were for the offences of Wounding with Intent, Carnal Knowledge, Attempted Murder, Rape and Causing Death by Dangerous Driving. The Wounding with Intent case was nolle prosequi because the victim died and Carnal Knowledge case because the victim migrated. In the Attempted Murder case the accused died and in the other two matters none of the witnesses attended court to testify when they were set. This brought a total of 10 matters being completed and one matter to be retried in the High Court of Demerara.
At the same time Criminal Assizes were also being heard in the Counties of Essequibo and Berbice. During this time Madam Justice Roxanne George sat as the judge in Berbice and Justice Bovell-Drakes sat in Essequibo.
There were fifteen cases listed for hearing before Justice Bovell-Drakes during the Essequibo October 2011 Criminal Assizes and one case for the offence of Manslaughter was completed. The verdict was not guilty.
During the same time the Berbice October 2011 Assizes was in progress and Madame Justice Roxanne George completed three trials from a list of thirty four cases. One of the matters completed was for the offence of Murder and the accused pleaded guilty to the lesser count of Manslaughter. The accused was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment. In the other two cases which was for the offences of Buggery and Indecent Assault, and Carnal Knowledge the jury returned not guilty verdicts for all counts in both cases.
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