Witness fails to appear in court – accused set free, absent witness faces no penalty…. Welcome to Barbados!

Nothing to do with this case… just an illustration of reality when the police make witnesses’ names known!

Intimidating a witness is standard operating procedure in Barbados.

Five years for a marijuana case to come to trial in Barbados!!!

The Court should have issued a warrant for the arrest of the witness and dug into the “why” behind the witness failing to show. This happens time and time again and undermines everything from the police to the court.

Magistrate Douglas Frederick dismissed a 2010 case in the District ‘A’ Magistrates Court today, after a police witness who was supposed to testify was absent from court.

Hezron Joseph Williams, who was previously charged with possession, trafficking and intent to supply marijuana in October 2010, was therefore free to go.

Williams, 27, resides at Hutson Alley, Reed Street, The City.

When the case came up for hearing in the morning, Station Sergeant Neville Watson said he expected the witness to be at court by midday.

When it was called again in the afternoon and the prosecutor was questioned by the Magistrate, he said he still had not heard from the witness.

Magistrate Frederick determined that “unless he (the witness) has a reasonable excuse or some type of emergency, the case would have to be viewed differently”.

He therefore dismissed the matter.

Disgusting!