Defendant wants new Lawyer, cites CONFLICT in Gun Charge

By Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Reporter

#TurksandCaicos, June 5, 2023 – Attorney and Governor’s appointed member Willian Belliard was challenged  and rejected by an accused inmate Luciano Paul who is charged with carrying firearm and ammunition; which appeared twice before the judge last month.

The defendant has ‘politely’ raised issue with Belliard’s representation given the fact that he was one of the members in the House of Assembly who voted in favor of the newly passed gun laws.  The defendant expressed discomfort and serious concern with the attorney and Governor’s appointed member being his defense counsel in a firearm and ammunition trial against him.

Justice Baptiste in the Grand Turk Supreme Court on the 09th and 22nd May after hearing the accused stood the matter down so the assignment of legal aid can be reviewed or addressed again by the Registrar of The Supreme Court.

Paul is on remand at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since his arrested in January 2022 for illegal entry and the firearm charges.

The allegation is that he brought a bag containing the illegal items on a Haitian sloop which reportedly ran out of fuel in the Ambergris Cay area.  The accused and other migrant passengers were apprehended when local authorities arrived on the cay. It is than, that securities from the Cay and official law enforcement authorities fingered Luciano Paul as the  man who carried the bag with the alleged illegal items that was discovered.

Among them a weapon tucked away in what appeared to be a backpack.

The matter will be re-called for a mention hearing on June 7, 2023. A trial date is to be fixed after the assignment of an appropriate, ‘non-conflicted’ attorney.