Solomon Forde testified that his now deceased brother O’Neill Chase had identified Raheem Travonte Barnett as the man who shot him.

Giving evidence in Barnett’s murder trial in Supreme Court No. 4, Forde said that on October 5, 2019, he was on the front step of his home in Silver Hill, Christ Church when his cousin came and told him something. Based on that conversation, he went to make a check. He saw his brother, Chase, coming up the road “holding his head” and he walked home with him.

“We stop by the steps for a couple minutes, then we took him inside and put his head on a pillow and put a fan on him. My sister’s boyfriend ask him who shot him and he say ‘Raheem Barnett’,” Forde recalled, adding that several other people were in the house at the time.

The witness told the court that he did not see what had happened to his brother before seeing him walking home and he only knew what his brother told him. Forde also did not remember hearing any gunshots or loud explosions that evening.

He stated that his brother had been walking slowly, and after they took him inside, they asked him where he had been shot.

“He say in the back of he head, and when we looked, I see two lumps that I had never seen before,” Forde told the court.

During cross-examination by Senior Counsel Michael Lashley, Forde said that when he saw his brother coming up the road, he had asked him who shot him but he did not answer at the time.

“I am going to suggest that your brother did not mention to you or anyone who shot him,” the attorney said.

“Yes, he did, when we were inside the house,” Forde replied.

He also disagreed with the defence lawyer’s suggestion that his brother was unable to speak to anyone.

The trial in which Barnett, of Regency Park, Christ Church, has denied murdering Chase, continues on Friday.

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A 27-year-old unemployed man has been released on bail on a wounding charge.

When he appeared in the District ‘A’ Traffic Court, Rashawn Savion Tudor of Well Gap, Lodge Hill, St Michael pleaded not guilty to unlawfully and maliciously wounding Dave Scott on March 18.

After there was no objection to his pretrial release, Magistrate Alison Burke granted Tudor $5 000 bail with one surety and adjourned the matter until July 30.

Defence attorney Harry Husbands represents the accused.

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A month after denying a robbery charge, Shamar Shaquane Erwin Inniss threw in the towel and was sentenced to nine months in prison – but he will not have to spend a day behind bars if he stays out of trouble.

That’s because Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes suspended the sentence for 18 months.

The 27-year-old Prescod Bottom, Hindsbury Road, St Michael resident reappeared in the No. 1 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, after being remanded to Dodds Prison last month on a charge of robbing Trevor Hollingsworth of a Bluetooth speaker valued at $25, and $375 in cash on March 16. He had also denied having in his possession apparatus fit and intended for the misuse of cocaine on the same day.

Outlining the facts of the case, prosecutor Randolph Boyce said Hollingsworth was in Greenfield, St Michael, that day when he was held up by Inniss, who was armed with a knife and was with an accomplice.

Owning up to the charges, Inniss asked the court for leniency, saying that he had recently lost a father figure and wanted to attend his funeral.

“He owed me money and told me what he had pun he . . . but I did not use any knife or gun,” he said about this crime against Hollingsworth.

He further admitted to using cocaine but said he was trying to turn his life around, especially for his children.

Noting that there were serious aggravating factors in the robbery offence, including that a knife was used and that Inniss had an accomplice, the chief magistrate considered Inniss’ previously clean record, his guilty plea and the representation he made in his defence.

“As a first time offender, I am going to give you nine months suspended for 18 months. It means that you will go home today, but it also means for the next year and a half, you will have to stay out of trouble, otherwise you will have to serve nine months. I know how men are in the streets, but you now have 18 months to navigate. Don’t think you are tricking me because you will only trick yourself . . . . So you can go to your relative’s funeral, but you have to pull yourself together. If you go and mess it up, don’t blame me. I am giving you an opportunity,”  Weekes said.

Inniss replied, “I want to give you the utmost respect for giving me a chance to go and show condolences to the deceased person.”

He was reprimanded and discharged for the apparatus.

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Robbery, assault and serious bodily harm accused Jafari Ricardo Maxwell received a stern warning from a magistrate – miss court again and be remanded to prison.

“If court is not a priority for you, make it one from today because in failing to attend court, we will put you where we can find you,” Magistrate Alison Burke told the 25-year-old as he appeared before her in the District ‘A’ Traffic Court.

Noting his failure to keep a date to deal with five matters before that court last November, the magistrate said that, according to his records, it was the second time Maxwell failed to show up on a scheduled date.

In his defence, the Lower Gills Road, St Michael resident told the court that he had mixed the dates up with those for another court where he has another matter.

“I went to court down here earlier this month, and it was only when I called yesterday that I realised that I missed the November date, so that’s why I came today. I don’t have a reason to lie,” he said.

However, the magistrate insisted that was no excuse.

“Put it in your phone. You go on Instagram and Facebook every day, so put in your phone and check back as to when you are supposed to be at court because you cannot afford to miss court dates. If you miss another court date, you are going to prison. You should be going up the road today. Do not miss another court date,” she warned.

Magistrate Burke adjourned the matters until July 31.

Maxwell is charged with five offences, which all allegedly occurred on May 5, 2021. These include: robbing Janelle Browne of one cell phone valued $3 000; robbing Stephanie Catoggio of a cell phone valued at $2 000, one tablet valued at $500 and two cases valued at $200; doing serious bodily harm to Catoggio and Luang Zhang with intent to maim, disfigure or disable them or to do some serious bodily harm to them; and unlawfully assaulting Vanessa Zhang occasioning her actual bodily harm.

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His previously clean record, positive pre-sentencing report and family support spared Rasheed Antonio Atkins from going to jail for firearm, ammunition and drug offences.

Madam Justice Pamela Beckles ordered the Clapham Park, St Michael resident to pay $27 500 in fines for the offences when he reappeared before her in the No. 5 Supreme Court on Friday.

Atkins had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a 9×19 calibre Glock semi-automatic pistol without a valid licence, having 13 rounds of ammunition without a valid permit, and possession and trafficking of 925.1 grammes of cannabis. The offences occurred on November 9, 2022.

“Guns and drugs are a bad combination, and even though the quantity of the drugs was relatively small, the combination of firearms, ammunition and drugs is a societal concern,” the judge said.

Justice Beckles gave a starting sentence of eight years for the firearm, four years for the ammunition and three years for each of the drug offences.

Atkins’ early guilty plea, expression of remorse, lack of antecedents, and young age were mitigating factors. One year was deducted from the starting point sentences. After the 157 days spent on remand were also deducted, a total of 303 days were left.

“Your lack of previous convictions, favourable pre-sentencing report and family support, amongst other things, are what will spare you from a custodial sentence this time around,” the judge told Atkins.

She fined him $20 000 for the gun, $15 000 of which was to be paid forthwith, with the outstanding balance to be cleared in three months. For the ammunition, Atkins has one year to pay the court $7 500. Failure to pay either fine will result in him spending 303 days at Dodds Prison.

According to the facts, police executed a search warrant at Atkins’ residence and were directed to his bedroom where they asked him if he had anything illegal in his possession. He replied, “Yes, in the wardrobe.” A Glock pistol with an extended magazine containing several rounds of ammunition was discovered. Atkins admitted it was his and said he had found it.

A further search revealed a bag containing cannabis. When questioned, he said that it was to be used to make brownies.

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After pleading guilty to handling stolen cash and over $100 000 in stolen jewellery in an almost decade-old matter, Michael Anderson Corbin was given a suspended sentence and ordered to pay compensation to the complainants.

“Taking into consideration all of the circumstances of the case and the fact that you have not reoffended since and are considered as having a low- risk of recidivism, the court is of the view that notwithstanding that the offence has crossed the custodial threshold, that circumstances are appropriate for a suspended sentence as permitted under the Penal Reform Act,” said Madam Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell in Supreme Court No. 4 on Friday.

She sentenced Corbin to two years and 10 months behind bars at Dodds Prison but suspended it for three years and ordered him to pay $7 500 in compensation. Failure to do so by February 28, 2025 will result in him having to serve the sentence.

Corbin, a resident of King Street, St Simons, St Andrew, had admitted that between September 25 and October 10, 2014, he dishonestly undertook or assisted in the retention, disposal or realisation of stolen property, namely US$5 000, €100, CDN$700 and £200 belonging to Ludo Marcelo, knowing or believing the property to be stolen.

He also confessed that between those dates, he dishonestly undertook or assisted in the retention, disposal or realisation of stolen property, namely nine bracelets valued at $56 142, six gold chains valued at $25 185, eight gold rings valued at $32 077, five silver rings valued at $660, four pairs of gold earrings valued at $7 824, one gold pendant valued at $400 and one gold charm valued at $150 belonging to Janet Marcelo, knowing or believing the property to be stolen.

The facts outlined to the court were that when the Marcelos returned to their home on September 25, 2014, they found their safe on the bathroom floor cut open and the cash and jewellery that were in it missing. They contacted the police and afterwards sent pictures of the stolen pieces to several pawn and consignment shops. The complainants later went to one of the stores, recognised some of the stolen jewellery, and reported it to the police.

Two weeks later, Corbin was arrested by police at a jewellery store in the City. He was searched and several pieces of the missing jewellery – some of which had been broken into pieces – as well as foreign currency were found in a bag he was carrying. He told the police that he had received the property from a Guyanese man who told him to sell the jewellery and keep the money. Corbin admitted he had already sold several pieces at various shops around Bridgetown. He had presented his identification card at each of the establishments for their records.

During his interview with the police, Corbin revealed that he had previously worked for the complainants.

“A message must be sent to the public that persons who handle stolen goods are just as culpable as those who actually steal the goods, and they are accessories to the offence and, where appropriate, harsh custodial sentences or harsh fines will be imposed to stamp out this practice,” Justice Smith-Bovell stated.

She gave a seven-year starting sentence, highlighting that the items stolen and received were of high financial value, the high level of stress caused to the complainants, the high level of profit likely to be made by Corbin, and that there was some degree of planning in how the goods were received and disposed of. The lone mitigating factor was that some of the items were recovered.

Regarding the offender, his three previous burglary convictions were seen as an aggravating factor, but that was outweighed by his expression of remorse, low risk of reoffending and his lack of convictions since this charge in 2014. Six months was therefore deducted from the sentence.

Time was also discounted for the delay in bringing the matter to trial and Corbin’s early guilty plea.

Justice Smith-Bovell also noted that in determining the amount of the fine, the court had to consider the self-employed carpenter’s ability to pay.

“Based on your income, the court was satisfied that you will be unable to pay any substantial fine in any reasonable time which the court may impose. You were also given a long opportunity to see if you could find persons to assist with paying a fine, and you have been unsuccessful . . . . The court is of the view that you do have the means to pay some sort of compensation to the virtual complainant who lost and suffered and the emotional distress of having their items pawned off and dissected,” she added.

The matter is up for review on June 7.

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His 56 previous convictions, more than half of which fell under the Theft Act, caused the pleas of Bertram Russell Lynch to fall on deaf ears in the District ‘A’ Traffic Court on Friday.

The 60-year-old of Bank Hall Cross Road, St Michael, added yet another conviction to his long list of antecedents after he pleaded guilty to stealing six packs of batteries valued at $75.10 and two bottles of Tyre Shine valued at $26.78 belonging to Carters and Company Limited on April 18.

Court prosecutor Ralph Rollock told the court that Lynch was in the Barbarees Hill branch of the hardware store when an employee observed him placing items in his pants before walking out. A security officer was notified and ran after Lynch who was walking along the main road. The guard challenged Lynch about the items and he handed over the two bottles of Tyre Shine and was taken back to the store. Police were called and when Lynch was searched, they found the batteries.

Appearing before Magistrate Alison Burke, Lynch apologised for taking the items. He asked the court for a suspended sentence, saying he has a drug problem and would like the opportunity to clean up his act.

However, the magistrate told Lynch that he had been given several suspended sentences in the past, all of which had been breached.

She then sentenced him to three months at Dodds Prison.

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A 39-year-old St Michael man has been remanded to Dodds Prison after he confessed to committing multiple acts of incest against his then 12-year-old daughter.

Appearing before Madam Justice Wanda Blair on Monday in the No. 4A Supreme Court, the man pleaded guilty to having sexual intercourse with the child on three occasions between October 1, 2018, and November 7, 2018, and between November 7, 2018, and December 31, 2018, knowing that she was his daughter.

Reading the complainant’s statement, Senior State Counsel Joyann Catwell who prosecuted the matter along with State Counsel Maya Kellman said that on the first occasion, the girl, who lived with her parents, was feeling unwell and her father told her to stay home from school. Her mother had already left home. When the girl got out of bed, her father called her into his bedroom and told her to lie down next to him. After she did so, he began massaging her. He removed his pants and her clothes and forced himself on her. Later that afternoon, her father called her out of her bedroom and into his, told her he would give her money, “overpowered” her and raped her again.

The child did not tell anyone about the incidents as she believed she was at fault and felt ashamed and afraid.

Weeks later, she was getting ready for school when he told her to stay home and had sex with her while ignoring her pleas for him to stop.

One day, after she saw her father looking as though he wanted to have sex with her, the girl told her best friend who encouraged her to tell her mother and to come over to her house until her mother came home. The girl escaped the house, went over to her friend and sent a message to her mother via Whatsapp, telling her what had occurred. Her mother confronted her father and he moved out two days later.

The complainant told the police that there were several other occasions her father had sex with her, including one occasion when another relative was at the home and other times in her room.

In his statement to police, the man, whom attorney Martie Garnes represented, said he was going through issues with his family as bills were not being paid on time, things were not being done in the house, and the relationship between him and his children’s mother was on the decline.

He recalled that on the morning of the first incident, after crying and feeling like he was “losing” himself, he called his daughter into his room and “the next thing I knew, I was naked with my daughter”.

“I asked myself what happened and what did I just do. I could not believe what was going on. I asked myself what would have caused me to do such a thing. It had bother me for days. I told myself I must tell her mother what happened, but I kept hearing a voice in my head saying ‘don’t say anything’,” he stated.

He also told police that he had been alone with his daughter many times before and never had thoughts of doing anything like that. He said he felt manipulated and controlled by the voice in his head, which grew stronger and more persistent.

The man also admitted to the police he was unsure how many times he had sex with his daughter.

Speaking in the court on Monday, the man said, “I am honestly, truly very sorry for what happened . . . . I am a family-oriented man. I had a mental break. Something wasn’t right. I would never cause harm to my children because I love them.”

Justice Blair ordered a pre-sentence report and sent the man to undergo psychiatric and psychological evaluation.

The matter was adjourned until September 9.

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After giving no explanation for damaging his mother’s house with a brick, Ackeem Shadair Greenidge was remanded to Dodds Prison for the next week and a half.

The 30-year-old unemployed resident of 8th Avenue The Ivy, St Michael, pleaded guilty to damaging one door and one glass window pane belonging to Natasha Greenidge, intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged, on Sunday morning.

The District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court heard that his mother was speaking to him about his drug use when he became aggressive and threw a brick through the window.

“So you out there and your mother feel that you smoking herb and you mash up she place, and you doing as you feel like and have no explanation?” Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes told the offender. “Your mother work hard for that house and develop her place and you get vex and mash it up with a brick. I keeping you to the second of May.”

The magistrate advised the mother, who was present in the court and asked for help for her son regarding his drug use, to do some research into the various facilities across the island that offer such.

“He has to learn a lesson. You have worked hard and he was there mashing up your house with a brick. He cannot disrespect you — that is why I am remanding him . . . .The Probation Department is understaffed so I am not sending you there. There are many choices you can point him [to], like Verdun House, CASA, [Psychiatric Hospital] Outpatients and others,” Weekes advised.

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A 52-year-old labourer who imported over $220 000 in cannabis will return to court next week to be sentenced.

When he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on Monday, Ryerson Hazel, a Guyanese national residing at Linden Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York, was remanded to Dodds Prison after pleading guilty to possession, trafficking, importing and intent to supply of 27.55 kilogrammes of cannabis.

The drugs were found in a vacuum-sealed package when his suitcase was searched upon arrival in Barbados on April 20.

“I wish to apologise. I was under financial burden as I have to take care of my father and my family,” Hazel told the court.

He returns to court on May 2.

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