Another delay in Arthur James murder case, two accused request help with bail application

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Murder accused, Uroy Joseph
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By Latrishka Thomas

[email protected]

The next hearing for the three men accused of murdering Arthur James has been pushed all the way to next year.

This means that the one-year anniversary of James’ death will pass before the case makes it out of the Magistrate’s Court.

James, of Gray’s Farm, reportedly went missing on October 28th 2021 and two days later, charred human remains were found in a burnt-out car in bushes near Willoughby Bay.

Searches done by the police and the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force in the St Phillip’s and Freetown areas were said to have led to the discovery of the deceased’s cellular phone.

In November 2021, brothers Zamir and Obasic O’Garro, along with their cousin Uroy Joseph, all of Liberta, were jointly charged by the police with kidnapping James.

Months later, the burnt remains were identified as James prompting the trio to be slapped with a charge of murder.

The three defendants have appeared in the All Saints Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel-Edwards several times since being charged.

However, the file is yet to be completed. A prosecutor from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions told the court yesterday that they are still awaiting at least three exhibits.

As a result, the matter was adjourned until January 25.

But before pushing back the case, all of the accused indicated that they are no longer being represented by counsel.

And while Obasic was already able to obtain bail In the High Court, the other two indicated that they are having difficulties completing the bail application and have not gotten any assistance from the Prison’s Welfare Association despite many appeals.

They therefore begged the Magistrate for help and she agreed to contact the prison.

The magistrate does not have jurisdiction to grant bail for offences such as murder.

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