Henry-Ricketts say not guilty

(CNS): The two men accused of murdering Estella Scott-Roberts on 11 October 2008 appeared in Grand Court yesterday and entered a not guilty plea to the charge of murder. Although Kirkland Henry (27) and Larry Ricketts (25), both Jamaican nationals, also stand accused of other charges including rape, abduction and robbery, the men were not arraigned for those charges on the request of their defence attorneys.

On the first day of this year’s Grand Court session (Wednesday 7 January) the two men appeared before Justice Alex Henderson at the end of a long docket. Henry and Ricketts, who are currently on remand at HMP Northward, were brought in to the court room surrounded by heavy security from both police and HMP officers. Once their pleas were recorded, Justice Henderson set the trial date for 3 August 2009. He queried whether the ten day period set aside was long enough for the trial as some 34 potential witnesses were listed to appear.

However, the defence attorneys both said that it was unlikely that all the witnesses would be called as much of the testimony would be similar, and that two weeks should be a sufficient time for the trial. Henry is being represented by attorney Ben Tonner and John Furniss is representing Ricketts. Both men will be arraigned regarding the other charges against them at a later date.

Both men were arrested by police on Monday, 27 October, over two weeks after the body of local activist and Cable and Wireless communications manager Scott-Roberts was found in her burnt out car in the dykes area of Barkers in West Bay.

William McLaughlin- Martinez, the man charged with the murder of Brian Rankine, whose naked and mutilated body, the result of a machete attack, was found in a car park at McField Lane in George Town in May of last year, also entered a not guilty plea to the charge of murder, which was read out to him in court. His trial date has been set for 7 July.

Josue Perez–Carrillo who has been charged with the murder of Canadian national Martin Gareau, whose badly beaten body was found in his home in Beach Bay in May of this year, also appeared before Henderson. However, his case was adjourned when his defence counsel, Anthony Akiwumi, explained that he would be engaging in legal argument with the crown and seeking a motion to have the indictment quashed, the details of which were not revealed in the court room.

Following the official opening of the grand court in the morning, Henderson began the afternoon proceedings with the jurors and fined five people $500 each who failed to turn up for the session. He then worked through a long list of mentions and indictments covering sexual offences, firearms charges, wounding and robberies.