The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
FRIDAY,
JUNE 14, 2013
VOLUME 107, No.21
time he/she was taken into custody, and admitted that A PRISONER TOLD THE the statement was taken 48 SERIOUS OFFENCES Court on hours after Woodley was Tuesday that the police forced detained, and the accused him to give a statement was subsequently charged. January 30, 2013, while he When Marks asked was in custody in connection whether Woodley was taken with a report of escaping to Court on February 1, lawful custody. 2013 on the escaping lawful Wilford Woodley, a man custody charge, Forde in his twenties of Green Hill, replied, “I can’t recall the made the allegation during a date”. Voirdire (trial within a trial) Marks suggested, “Let me held to determine whether tell you that you and James the statement was given forced the defendant to give voluntarily. the statement.” Forde Woodley is charged with denied this. escaping lawful custody at “You know that Woodley the High Court, February was a vegetarian and you 19, 2010, when he was were depriving him of reportedly among a number vegetarian food,” Marks told of prisoners who had been Forde who replied, “No, taken before the Judge by Office under cross please your honour.” three prison officers, for bail examination Marks suggested that application hearings. Forde made promises to The Voirdire was Under cross-examination, provide vegetarian food for embarked on after Woodley’s PC Forde admitted that no Woodley if he gave the attorney, Ronald Marks, Justice of the Peace (JP) was statement. informed the Court that, present when the statement “I am suggesting to you based on instructions he had was taken. He said police that you forced and enticed received in relation to the from St. Lucia brought him to give the statement,” conduct of two police Woodley to the Central Marks reiterated,but the officers, he was concerned as Police Station, January 28, investigator insisted that to whether the statement 2013, and the statement was the statement was given was a voluntary one. taken on January 30 at 5 voluntarily. During the Voirdire, the p.m. The officer agreed that he investigator, Police The detective said he had only six months Constable Adrian Forde, made efforts to have a JP experience at CID when he who took the statement from present, but none was took the statement. Woodley, told the Court it available at the time. Constable Dwight James was taken at the Criminal Forde agreed that a also testified during the Investigations Department person had to be charged Voirdire that Woodley gave (CID), in the presence of within 48 hours from the the statement voluntarily. by HAYDN HUGGINS
Wilford Woodley insisted that he gave a statement to the police after being forced to do so.
Ronald Marks, Wilford Woodley’s attorney , suggested to PC Adrian Forde that he (Forde) enticed Woodley into giving a statement.
The course of this matter will be determined after Chief Magistrate Sonya Young makes her ruling on the Voirdire.
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Constable Dwight James. PC Forde said that at the beginning of an interview, he informed Woodley of the report and cautioned him. According to Forde, Woodley volunteered a statement and elected him to write it. Forde added that after the statement was written, it was read back to Woodley who agreed that it was true and correct, and signed it. Forde signed as recording officer, and PC James signed as the person who witnessed the statement. Forde said that neither he nor James had beaten, threatened or promised the accused anything to give the statement.
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Accused testifies Woodley told the Court that after he was brought to St. Vincent by St. Lucian police, he was taken to the CID at the Central Police Station before being placed in a cell. “I was taken back to CID about two days later,” Woodley recalled. He indicated that he was a vegetarian, but vegetarian food was not provided at the Central Police Station during the time he was there. “They (police) told me they could not get anything from outside and I have to do with what they give me, and they were quite frank with that,” Woodley said. He added that PC Forde escorted him to the CID general office and told him to sit down. “He (Forde) asked me what happened on the 19th February, 2010. I told him I can’t recall. He told me I have to give a statement. I told him if I can’t recall, I can’t give a statement,” Woodley said. He added that he was then taken to the Interview room where Forde insisted that he give a statement. Continued on Page 3.