News
Another Sexual Assault Case nears Dismissal; Judge goes mute in Court with the Crown Counsel
Wilkie Arthur
Freelance Court Reporter
#TurksandCaicos, December 21, 2023 – Appearing before the Supreme Court Lady Judge Tanya Lobban Jackson on Monday, December 11th 2023, for the commencement of his jury SEXUAL assault trial, was accused JEAN BAPTISTE.
He and his attorney, one of the Governor’s appointed members to the House of Assembly the Hon. Mr. Willin Belliard, showed up to court, ready to proceed, when the public prosecutor Ms. Enjaleek Dickerson attempted to address the court . The court was however, mute and refused to answer or acknowledge the Crown’s public prosecutor because she was not properly attired in robe for the Supreme Court proceeding.
Despite public prosecutor Ms. Dickerson’s attempt to apologize and explain that her robe was on the way to the court from the office because that is where she keeps it; the judge refused to even utter “good morning” to the prosecutor. Dickerson further shared that she was not feeling well and was due to be out of office on a sick day, however with staff short, she came in.
The learned judge who had already started court a few minutes late said to Hon. Willin Belliard, “do you have any objections?”
He replied that he did not and the judge announced, “this court will raise for a few more minutes.”
The time given allowed the prosecutor to collect her robe from an assistant at the DPP’s Office who brought the item over and appear as is required before the High Court Justice. Once adorning the mandatory attire, the court officer was asked to advise her Ladyship “that we’re ready to proceed.”
The Judge came back out shortly after receiving counsel’s readiness notice, and the court began in its normal fashion. Dickerson again attempted an apology, but it was not acknowledged.
The matter was then called and appearance given but once again, in another SEXUAL assault case, the Crown could not proceed for reasons not made clear at the hearing.
What was comprehensible in the Crown’s submission was that the complainant “wants to be left alone.”
DNA was collected in this matter, but not sent for testing. The alleged victim was scheduled for counseling sessions but the Crown could not report if the individual actually attended those sessions.
Her Ladyship was obviously displeased and put the matter – which has been pending for over a year, dating back to June 23rd, 2022 – off once again.
Justice Lobban-Jackson, in speaking to the counsel for the Crown asked, ‘why was there no application for adjournment through the provisions set out in the Criminal Procedure Ordinance (CPO)?’
Hearing her response, the judge vacated the trial date and set the matter for a new trial date on May 27th 2024, to run for possibly one or two weeks.