TEACHER SPENT WEEKEND IN JAIL ON DRUNK DRIVING BENCH WARRANT

Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Reporter

#TurksandCaicos, September 15, 2023 – Last month(July), a teacher of the Elite High School was arrested on a Bench warrant for offences pertaining to driving while intoxicated or drunken driving.

He had spent an entire weekend in the police slammer at Grace Bay Police station.

He failed to attend court on the prescribed date as directed on his bail form or summons which he received after being arrested on June 21st, 2023.

The teacher appeared in court on Tuesday July 18th 2023.  We observed that he was handcuffed, dragging (hardly walking) and appeared totally disheveled, weak and confused as the weekend in lock-up was clearly a horrible experience for him.

The learned Chief Magistrate asked the teacher LUMARVENS ALEXANDER, 29 why he failed to show up for court when he was supposed to attend?

The man said, “I was busy with examinations and I couldn’t come.”

The Chief Magistrate became very upset and told the man “please be quiet because the more you say the more you upset me.  You’re actually telling me, you were busy with exams?”

Nonetheless, the matter was adjourned to the next day (Wednesday 19th July) because it was a Bench Warrant that brought the accused to Court, there were no files available for him from the Court and the Prosecution’s Office.

The teacher was then offered bail in the sum $1,000.00 to return to court for 11am the next day.

He arrived looking more prepared; he was clean up and smartly dressed.  Alexander pleaded guilty, apologized and beg Court’s mercy.

The Hon. Chief Magistrate Hatmin considered his weekend in police custody and sentenced him to a fine of $250 to pay forthwith or serve an additional seven days at the Grand Turk prison.

Alexander’s driver’s license was also suspended for 10 months.