Deaf Mute man FREE TO GO; No interpreter in Court

By Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Reporter

#TurksandCaicos, June 19, 2023 – Early this year MELVIN WILSON who fixes electronics as a form of his personal income was arrested and charged for handling stolen goods from a cache of alleged stolen property; it was found in his possession.

But the investigation and prosecution have been impeded by an inability for the defendant to communicate in the matter; Mr. Wilson is a deaf mute.

The accused has never accepted responsibility for the origins of the goods reportedly found with him, denying that he had knowledge of the items being stolen property.

Another male individual was a part of this investigation and was named. It is suspected the second male may have been exploiting Melvin Wilson; a belief held strongly by Wilson’s family.

WILSON requires a sign language interpreter in order to communicate his version of events.  However, there was no such provision in the court at the time of the trial, Tuesday June 13.

This matter has had to be adjourned several times this year due to the absence of an interpreter and the lack of defence counsel for the accused.

Chief Magistrate Jolyon Hatmin on the advice of Tassja Mitchell, the Public Prosecutor dismissed the case against Wilson and through untrained sign language by court officials, they informed the man that he is ‘free to go’ and will not have to return.