A
lawyer in the well-to-do area of Lance Aux Epines has been retained
to represent Frederick "Balla" Noel, one of the
bodyguards of Grenada Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell. Balla
has been charged with causing grevious bodily harm after shooting
a male resident of the Bocas, St. Paul's in September 2005
over a quarrel with a female companion.
The newly
retained lawyer is Venescia Francis-Banfield who recently returned
home to practise law after living in Britain for a number of years.
One of the first acts of the lawyer is to challenge the authority
of Director of Public Prosecutions, Christopher Nelson to file
the criminal charge against the P.M's bodyguard. Following
is the full text of the letter which was obtained by the GRENADA
TODAY newspaper:
13th February,
2006.
Mr Christopher
Nelson,
Director of
Public Prosecutions,
Church Street
St. George's
Dear Sir:
I act on
behalf of Corporal 403 Frederick Noel of Telescope, St. Andrew's.
You are aware that my client was charged on the 10th February,
2006, on your instructions, with the indictable offence - to wit:
Grievous Harm contrary to section 207 of the Criminal Code. My
client has instructed that the above charge was preferred in the
name of the Commissioner of Police but was done through Inspector
13 Earl Dunbar of the Criminal Investigation Department, St. George's.
The preferment
of a charge made unknown to the Commissioner of Police. I am therefore
instructed that you permit my client to have sight of the following:
(a) Your authority
for preferring the said charge; and
(b) A copy
of your instrument of appointment to the post of Director of Public
Prosecutions. This matter comes up for hearing on Tuesday, 21st
March, 2006 and in the circumstances, I would appreciate if the
relevant copies of the above requested documents could be made
available within 7 days of the date of this letter.
I am further
instructed that failure to produce these documents within the
time stipulated would leave my client with no alternative but
to take personal legal action against you, including a complete
withdrawal of the charge preferred against him.
Venescia Francis-Banfield
cc: Inspector
13 Earl Dunbar
CID, St. George's.
The Commissioner
of Police Police Headquarters, St. George's
