Magistrate urges prosecution to get its house in order

The prosecution had better get its house in order by November 14, as Chief Magistrate Sonya Young has granted a final adjournment in a murder matter that has been before the court since February 1 this year.{{more}}

Godwin Moses, 26, Labourer, of Arnos Vale, and 18-year-old Tameka Sutherland, of Prospect, stand accused of the murder of Steveon Springer of Layou.

Springer was gunned down in the vicinity of Karib Cable at about 10:00 pm on December 9, 2010, while on his way to the bus stop at the Peace Memorial Hall.

When the matter was brought back up for hearing at the Serious Offences Court on Monday, October 10, court prosecutor Adolphus Delpesche asked the court for a two-week adjournment in the matter on the grounds that he needed some time to peruse the files.

The Chief Magistrate then asked one of the officers, Corporal Wilma Black, why was it taking so long to get the matter ready. Black explained to the court that the file had several statements containing aliases of persons and it was hard to locate those people.

She, however, noted that the entire file is now complete.

Magistrate Young said if it were not a murder matter, she would have thrown it out.

Springer, who was carrying his one year-old daughter in his arms at the time of his death, was making his way to Frenches Gate when a car drove alongside him and shots were fired from the vehicle.

Springer was left dead with a bullet to the hip and one to the back of the head.

Luckily, his daughter was unharmed.

The prosecution is expected to call some 11 witnesses to the stand.