The police have arrested and charged 29-year-old former school teacher Reneker Blanc of Colibistrie and Kervin Patrick Etienne of Texas with trafficking firearms and trafficking of ammunition.
Both were not required to enter a plea since the charges are of an indictable nature, and, can only be heard at the high court before and Judge and jury.
The prosecution, led by Inspector Davidson Cadette is objecting to bail. The prosecution alleges that on September 30, 2022, at the Woodbridge Bay port Fond Cole, Etienne and Blanc were involved in the trafficking of 20 9mm pistols and 406 rounds of 9mm ammunitions.
Cara Shillingford Marsh is representing Blanc and Wayne Norde along with Gina Abraham-Thomas are representing Etienne.
Chief Magistrate Candia Carette George is hearing the matter. Meantime, Etienne’s defense team is asking the court to “stay” the matter against him stating that it is “an abuse of the process” because he (Etienne) was “induced by the investigating officer into giving a statement and he would be tried summarily ( in the Magistrate’s court).
The prosecution has denied those accusations calling them “grave and serious and has implications for the reputation of the police”. Etienne has since taken the witness stand to testify about the inducement allegedly made to him by the investigating officer. That matter is being dealt with by lawyer Dawn Yearwood Stewart who told that court that her instructions are that during the said investigations the investigating officer “the investigating officer made certain statements to Etienne to induce him to make a statement and after he did, the police officer withdrew what he said and laid the indictable charges.”
“As a result, there is no way he can have a fair trial because of the carrot that was dangled in his face that he ate, and, having eaten the dangled carrot, matters are now changed.
Speaking under oath, Etienne told the court that after having a meeting with the investigating officer he would give a statement. Under cross-examination by Cadette as to if he was forced to give a statement to the police, he said “no’ and admitted that he gave it “voluntarily”
His defense lawyer Wayne Norde then took the witness stand and in his testimony, told the court that he was told by the investigating officer that if his client gave a statement, he would be charged summarily for “importation of guns and ammunition” and that the charges against his co-accused would be “dropped.” “I asked him are you sure…don’t crook me I am warning you and he responded, I talk to you already,” Norde told the court. According to him, on October 1, 2022, on his arrival to see his client at Police Headquarters, he saw the charge of importation but on Monday, October 3, 2022, he got a few calls from the investigating officer he then went to headquarters and was told “sorry Wayne…is not me is dem fellas upstairs, I said to him I warn you, I warn you, I felt used, tricked and manipulated” he said after having learned that the charges were changed to “trafficking.”
“I am now asking the court to stay the proceedings,” he said. Under cross-examination, while admitting that his client was “not beaten, threatened or paid to give the statement it was given voluntarily.”
“He did not give the statement voluntarily and freely, he was indirectly induced to do so,” Norde told the court.
The prosecution then told the court, that there is “nothing before the court for an abuse of process.”
“We are saying that the circumstances surrounding the arrest, investigation, and subsequent charging is not tantamount to an abuse of process,” Cadette stated. He has also placed the court on notice that to bolster their case, they will be calling witnesses to testify on behalf of the prosecution when the matter continues on October 5, 2022. In the meantime, both individuals remain in police custody.