It is the opinion of Barbados’ newest magistrate that some persons “pick Kadooment Day to target people”. If that is proved to be the case, the culprits will not be tolerated especially if the incident occurs on an occasion “when people come out to have fun”.
That was the essence of what acting Magistrate Elwood Watts told two neighbours who appeared before him today in the District ‘A’ Traffic Court.
After hearing from police prosecutor Station Sergeant Irvin Kellman and later from defence attorney Romain Marshall on the question of bail, Watts said that although he was not saying this was so in the instant case, there were those who used Kadooment Day “to carry out their hits and beat-ups”.
“Every Kadooment Day in this country, somebody either comes close to losing their life or lose their life,” he remarked.
José McDonald Belle, a 40-year-old general worker, and Ryan Andre Smith, of Storey Gap, Codrington Hill, St Michael are facing a charge of unlawfully wounding Arnold Atwell with intent to maim, disfigure or disable him, or to cause him some serious bodily harm.
Atwell received stab wounds to the body on Monday.
In his objection to bail, the prosecutor said that his overriding concern was that the complainant was still in hospital and, should he take a turn for the worse, persons could then be at large in what could become a capital matter.
Kellman added that even though the prosecution understood the seriousness of the charge and did not necessarily desire a 28-day remand for the accused, he “would be much more comfortable if the complainant were discharged before the accused were granted bail”.
Marshall, who represented both accused, pointed to the possibility that Atwell could be released from hospital today. Therefore, to remand two men who were gainfully employed and had fixed places of abode, he argued, would be to possibly deprive them of their livelihood.
Marshall said this was particularly so in the case of Belle, who was not appointed in his job and had missed work since Tuesday because of this matter. He went on to say that Belle had three children who resided with him and for whom he had sole responsibility.
Marshall added that as far as he was aware, the complainant was in stable condition and the accused could be asked to report to a police station daily if deemed necessary. The court ought not “to remand two persons out of fear,” Marshall argued.
Addressing the two accused after reaching his decision, Watts told them that “it is not the prosecutor nor anybody else that put you where you are”. He told Belle that he ought to have considered his three children and his job when he went to Kadooment.
The men were remanded to HMP Dodds and the case adjourned until August 13 for an update on the complainant.