Sufficiency Adjourned for Blind Defendant; case still stuck

Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Reporter

#TurksandCaicos, January 19, 2024 – WOODLY VICTORIAN, aka Smokie Barnes, the incarcerated blind man, left the prison video link room to return to his cell so disappointed when the learned Chief Justice said, she was adjourning his matter to the next Sufficiency Hearing in February because she has not yet heard back from the Registrar as to his findings or decision regarding reassigning the defendant another counsel.

Barnes has explained that he does not wish to proceed with Mr. Ashwood Forbes as legal representation.

At the sufficiency hearing on the first Friday in December 2023, before the court closed for its Christmas holiday break, Victorian poured out his heart to the CJ about how long he has been in prison without a sufficiency hearing.  He had shared that he had letters written and sent to the Court, over a year explaining his situation yet his case has not progressed “one bit” since being remanded to His Majesty’s Prison(HMP).

As the CJ had promised him faithfully in early December that on his return on Friday January 5th 2024, his matter would proceed and the issue concerning an attorney would be resolved, Smokie had high expectations.

Her Ladyship also promised to send the learned senior Deputy Registrar to the prison to take all the relevant information regarding his complaints but the CJ, on January 5 informed the accused that she had heard nothing as yet regarding the investigation ordered by her.

Therefore it was back to prison, one more month for Barnes.

Mrs. Nayasha Hatmin appeared on behalf of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in this matter, no charges were read or mentioned at the proceedings, because, the accused awaits legal representation through legal aid.

The sufficiency hearing for Woodly Victorian, aka Smokie Barnes is set for February 2, 2024.