Justice Delayed is Justice Denied, or is it no Justice at all?

by Jerome Pinder

On the 7^thOctober 2007, Agnes Sylvia Cates was found murdered in her bedroom in Rock Sound, Eleuthera.  To date, over three years after her murder, not one single piece of evidence has been presented in Court.  Here is a highlight of the events, subsequent to Mrs Cates’ murder:

• 15^th Oct 2007: 1^st Suspect Charged in Magistrate’s Court, Bank Lane
• 29^th Oct 2007: Case brought up for mention in Magistrate’s Court, Bank Lane
• 12^th Nov 2007: Case brought up for mention in Magistrate’s Court, Bank Lane
• 25^th Feb 2008: 2^nd Suspect arraigned in Magistrate’s Court
• 1^st April 2008: Case brought up for mention in Magistrate’s Court No. 11, Nassau Street.  AG’s office announced that it intended to move the case to the Supreme Court by Voluntary Bill of Indictment, but needed an additional two (2) months to prepare the case.
• 5^th May 2008: Case brought up for mention at Court 11
• 19^th June 2008: Case brought up for mention at Court 11
• 12^th Aug 2008: 2^nd Suspect released on $30,000 bail
• 6^th Oct 2008: Charges against the 1^st suspect discontinued.  Case against the 2^nd suspect to be moved to the Supreme Court by Voluntary Bill of Indictment, Court 11.
• 24^th Nov 2008: 2^nd suspect to be arraigned in the Supreme Court.  No appearance by the 2^nd suspect.
• 28^th Nov 2008: 2^nd suspect arraigned in Supreme Court.
• 28^th Feb 2011: Case to open in Supreme Court.  Suspect did not appear
• 1^st Mar 2011: Case to open in Supreme Court.  Suspect did not appear
• 4^th Mar 2011: Bail hearing in Supreme Court.
• 11^th Mar 2011: Bail hearing in Supreme Court.

What you have above is a travesty of Justice.  I am proud to know some of the Cates family.  They, like the late Agnes Cates are upstanding and honourable members of society.  The violent murder of Mrs Cates is an attack on society as a whole and on each and every law abiding citizen in this Country.  Regrettably, there tragedy and pain highlights the horrendous problem that we face as a nation.  At any given moment, any one of us could be placed in the tragic circumstances faced by the Cates Family.  And like the Cates Family, we would be dropped in the hands of a crippled justice system.

We can build roads, buildings, and plant trees in this Country.  We can construct a state of the art airport, dredge our harbour, and expand our seaports.  We can tax and spend like there is no tomorrow.  But yet, we cannot deliver and administer an effective justice system!

We often hear our Minister of National Security quoting statistics and giving us a breakdown of the murders related to domestic violence, drugs, gangs, etc…  This is all well and good.  But perhaps, it is time that our Government start focusing on the murders of outstanding citizens and the lack of justice that is being served in their cases.  Not to mention all the other violent offenders out on Bail!

You will note above, a break in the time line from November 2008 to February 2011.  Is this the true reflection of our Justice system?  Our elected Government has the responsibility to ensure the effective administration of Justice.  It is abundantly clear that they have failed us!  Will the madness ever end in granting bail to repeat offenders?  This issue has become a menace to society, with no correction in site.

As a friend stated to me, “you can chase a rat around the room all day with no consequences, but the second you pin him in the corner, he will attack you.”  Are the law abiding citizens becoming rats that are being cornered?