TCI Drug Trials to Proceed without Forensic Analysis says DPP Office

Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Reporter

#TurksandCaicos, January 20, 2024 – The learned Chief Magistrate on Monday January 8 put pertinent questions to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions; responding was Ms. Tassja Mitchell, who appeared for the Crown on the first day of criminal matters in the CM’s court.

Chief Magistrate Jolyon Hatmin questioned whether the drugs confiscated as evidence in the slew of upcoming trials have been sent out for testing or are they proceeding without?

Mitchell replied, “No, your honor, the machines at the lab in The Bahamas are still down and have been so for some time now, we will proceed without the forensics certificates.”

The CM said, “Okay; so your Department intends to provide the Court with expert evidence from an officer of sufficient experience in drugs handling to testify that the substance is really drugs?

Ms. Mitchell said, “Yes, your honor.”

The CM warned counsel for the Crown, “don’t bring some little young boy officer who just started the force to testify as no expert like one of the prosecutors did in another drugs matter recently.”

The line of questions came on the same day the Chief Magistrate heard three cases of three men arrested for alleged illicit drug peddling in the Turks and Caicos Islands.