| By Latoya GilesIn a twist of events, members of the Guyana Tactical Services arrested Dunsford Dodson’s brother. Dodson is the murder accused who was granted $500,000 bail in the High Court by Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire on Friday.Dodson’s brother, Claude Ronson, was arrested yesterday after the police failed to arrest Dodson.Dodson’s lawyer, Nigel Hughes, said that two van loads of police descended at his office requesting his client’s whereabouts. The lawyer said that the police informed him that they were acting on instructions to re-arrest Dodson.Hughes Inquired whether the police had a court order to do so, and they said no.“I do not recommend that my client surrender since there is no court order,” Hughes told this newspaper yesterday.The lawyer further questioned the police why they arrested Dodson’s brother, but they refused to give an explanation. Up to press time Ronson was still being detained at the Criminal Investigations Department.On Friday, Justice George-Wiltshire ruled that Dodson be admitted to $500,000 bail .The accused was also requested to lodge his passport and also to report to the police station.Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire also awarded Dodson $250,000 as damages for the aggravation of waiting for the completion of his preliminary inquiry.The judge had made an order last year stating that the preliminary inquiry should commence within ten days. The order said that the evidence of witnesses should be completed within 60 days, and if the applicant is again committed and indicted the prosecution is to expedite the presentation of his indictment for the trial before December 31, 2010.Dodson was charged with the 2006 murder of Lennox Rodriguez.The preliminary inquiry was heard intermittently by former Magistrate Gordon Gilhuys. This resulted in protracted delays in the conduct of the inquiry.The magistrate never managed to complete the matter,Le Veon Bell Steelers Jersey, since he was involved in a shooting incident on Woolford Avenue almost two years ago and had resigned.The inquiry was further delayed because of the unavailability of a magistrate to hear and determine the preliminary inquiry.On November 26, 2008,Devonta Freeman Falcons Jersey, Dodson commenced constitutional proceedings against the Attorney General for various declarations in relation to the infringement of his constitutional right of a fair hearing within a reasonable time as guaranteed by article 144 of the constitution.The matter was called up before Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire who found that Dodson’s right to a fair hearing had been infringed and awarded damages in Dodson’s favour.Justice George-Wiltshire, according to the affidavit, had further ordered and directed on January 15, 2010,Julian Edelman Patriots Jersey, that the preliminary inquiry commence within 120 days, failing which Dodson would be admitted to bail. Magistrate Nigel Hawke had heard and determined that the accused should stand trial in the High Court for murder.An affidavit from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack, which was seen by this newspaper, said that she verily believes that Dodson’s motion is misconceived,Andre Tippett Patriots Jersey, vexatious,Grady Jarrett Falcons Jersey, vindictive, speculative, malicious and absolutely without merit and is not entitled to any of the orders prayed for.Only last month Justice James Bovell-Drakes granted $300,Merril Hoge Steelers Jersey,000 bail to Trion Sumner who is accused of killing Odinga Bryan.He is jointly charged with Squince McLennan for whom bail was not considered since he is facing another indictment for murder.Justice’s Bovell-Drakes’s order was overruled by Justice Diana Insanally who granted a stay of execution on the order. Attorney at law Basil Williams had stated that Justice Insanally had no jurisdiction since no judge can sit on another judge’s order.Williams said that order would continue to make his client be imprisoned, and his constitutional rights trampled upon.Justice James Bovell-Drakes granted Sumner his pre-trial liberty because of the failure of the Director of Public Prosecutions to obey an order of the court.The first time that a judge had granted bail to a murder accused was the Chief Justice Ian Chang,Joe Gilliam Steelers Jersey, in the case of Hemchand Persaud. Persaud was charged for a double-murder,Artie Burns Steelers Jersey, and spent also eight years in prison, however,Kevin Greene Steelers Jersey, to date he has not gotten a hearing. |
