News
August 5, 2011

Judge: Obeah will never work in my court!

It appears that attempts may have been made by at least one individual to use obeah to influence the outcome of a recent murder trial.{{more}}

SEARCHLIGHT was reliably informed that during the murder trial of Che Bute and Azari Ash, which took place during the last criminal assizes, court security confiscated a book on the topic of obeah, or black magic, from a female relative of one of the accused men.

The book, which was said to contain details of 375 ways to practice Obeah, was brought to the attention of the judge.

It was however returned to the woman.

The source said the book described different ways of dealing with adversity, love, money, among other things.

It was also said that during the trial, a liquid of suspicious nature was sprinkled inside the courtroom.

At the close of the Criminal Assizes on Friday, July 29, Justice Frederick Bruce-Lyle, confirmed that a book was seized.

“All I am going to say is that Obeah will never work in my court. I believe in God…,” the judge said.

Bute and Ash were on trial for the December 2007 murder of Lloyd “Lazarus” Samuel. They were convicted on July 27 of Samuel’s murder and sentencing has been set for October 21, 2011. (KW)