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HOME	OCTOBER 08 th, 2005

A case of Sedition that was brought by the State against British-trained broadcaster, Stanley Charles is heading the list of 97 cases listed for hearing in the October assizes that begins in Grenada on Tuesday.

The case was brought in connection with statement made by Charles on a radio programme immediately after the ruling New National Party (NNP) government of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell fell from power in late 1998 when the then Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Raphael Fletcher resigned.

The broadcaster made certain remarks about a plot that was hatched to execute Dr. Fletcher whose decision left the Mitchell government with a minority in parliament. The sedition case against Charles has been on the list for several previous high court sittings without being heard.

A total of eight murder cases are listed on the Cause list including that of Indian businessman Fazal Sayed who was brought back into the country earlier in the year after fleeing to England. Sayed is charged with the murder of his wife Lynn Celestine of La. Borie, St. George's.

Informed sources told GRENADA TODAY that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is anxious to bring closure to the Sayed case in light of the circumstances leading up to his return to Grenada.

The British government only agreed to surrender the murder suspect to Grenadian authorities after the State gave assurances that it would not impose the mandatory death sentence on Sayed if he was convicted of murder.

The Indian businessman would be represented by defense attorney Anslem Clouden who is advocating a change of venue for the trial from Grenada to the sister isle of Carriacou in light of the amount of pre-trial publicity given to the case.

Clouden is contending that Sayed is not likely to get a free and fair trial since most of the persons likely to be selected, as jurors would have been exposed to public statements on the matter. Apart from Sayed, the other murder cases involve Alleyne Bowen, Jacob Joseph, Lennie Ross, Keith Mitchell, Denis Cambridge and Haig Telesford, Curtis Andrews, and Michael Sylvester.

There are 15 cases of rape and among the suspects going on trial in the assizes are: Clarie Wallace, Keron Sandy, Brendon Briggs, Johnnie Connell, Ryan Antoine, Lyndon Williams, Edmond Phillip and Devon Charles, as well as Godwin Collins, Kimron Roberts and Dameion Joseph.

Romel Hayes, Carl Foster, Bernard Beggs, Trevor Matthew, Sheldon Charles, Sheldon Monah, Michael Marrast, Christopher Noel, Derick Thomas, John Charles, and Jerry Benjamin complete the list of rape cases.

Several other persons are down to make appearances for sexual-related offences such as Rohan Charles, Carlan Bartholomew, Vance Copland, and Pasram Persaud for defilement of a female, and Andrew Lewis, David Lambert, Donald John, O'Neal Bynoe, Robert Neckles, Michael Edmund, Kim Fortune, Wilson Williams, and Andy Williams, for Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.

The other cases involve persons on charges ranging from Indecent Assault, Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, Grievous Harm, and Robbery with Violence, Stealing, Housebreaking, Possession of firearm, and wounding.