Another accused murderer walked free from the Supreme Court today, but not for long.
Kent Pandy has been on trial since Monday in the courtroom of Justice Herbert Lord for the stabbing death of Allen Sutherland, 18, in November of 2006.
Pandy, 20, was released today after the Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl-Lynn Branker-Taitt, entered a motion of nolle prosequi, allegedly because several witnesses were reluctant to testify.
Only four witnesses were called over three days of trial before today’s dramatic events.
After the motion was entered, Justice Lord formally dismissed the 12-member jury and told Pandy he was free to go.
But Pandy had only gotten as far as leaving the prisoner’s dock when personnel of the Crimes Investigation Branch, alleging that Pandy had threatened a witness, promptly detained him.
Pandy was then formally re-indicted for murder this afternoon on the order of the DPP before Justice Lord, and remanded until his trial date on October 29. He is being represented by Hubert Elrington. The DPP has informed Amandala that the previously reluctant witnesses have now agreed to testify.
Pandy denied the charge, telling Justice Lord that he would have had no opportunity to threaten a witness because he was remanded. Lord then issued a warning to Pandy and his mother, who, we understand, was similarly accused, that trying to suppress evidence in a trial carries a 2-year jail sentence of its own.
Police continue to investigate the charges.
The charges stem from an argument between Pandy, then 19, and Sutherland at Pandy’s home on Boots Crescent.
According to Sutherland’s family, the youth had sold a video game to Pandy, but when time came for Pandy to pay up, he refused and the two young men got into an argument, which ended with Sutherland being stabbed fatally in the neck. Before delivering the fatal wound, Pandy was said to have left the area on a bicycle, only to quickly return.