Four persons remain on remand at Her Majesty’s Prison and Fort Charlotte as they await trial in the High Court on murder charges.{{more}}

The four: Anthony Lavia, Kasanke James, Marilyn Wilkins and her daughter Kawana Wilkins, all of Redemption Sharpes, were committed to stand trial in the High Court for the murder of Jason Charles, 30, of the same address, on May 11, 2008.

At the Preliminary Inquiry at the Serious Offences Court on Tuesday, March 24, Chief Magistrate Sonya Young found that the prosecution presented enough evidence to commit the quartet to stand trial before a judge and jury in the High Court.

It is alleged that at approximately 6:30 pm on the date in question, Charles had been involved in an argument with another man over a pair of shoes, which resulted in Charles being chopped several times about his body. He succumbed to his wounds the following day.

Representing the four accused, Lawyer Ronald Marks submitted that the prosecution failed to make out a prima facie case against Marilyn and Kawana. He also said that there was no evidence of a common design to show that both women acted in a joint enterprise in the matter.

In his response, Prosecutor Inspector Nigel Butcher told the court that there was more than sufficient evidence against both women to commit them to stand trial. Butcher added that there are some things that should not be decided at a Preliminary Inquiry, but would best be handled at the High Court.

Magistrate Young agreed wholly with the prosecutor’s submission and noted that it was a sad situation that Kawana who has a young baby and has to be on remand for such a crime. “I am really sorry this is the case for you Kawana,” Young said. (KW)