By Latrishka Thomas
Murder accused Shawn ‘Soca Slide’ Mussington waited with bated breath yesterday to learn whether his case will be sent up to the High Court.
This, after his committal hearing had been adjourned on several occasions because the police file was incomplete.
In fact, on the last occasion earlier this month, Mussington — who is accused of killing hairdresser Simone Whyte — heard that his case could be thrown out if the completed file was not presented by the prosecution yesterday.
That threat was made by Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh in the St John’s Magistrate’s Court before she adjourned the matter.
Two weeks prior, the case was called but was delayed because the prosecution indicated that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had requested sight of a forensic evidence report which relates to exhibits that the police had sent to Jamaica for forensic analysis, before proceeding.
Hence, the Chief Magistrate recalled the matter last week and stated that, based on the DPP’s instructions to the police, June 24 will be the police’s final opportunity to commit the high-profile murder case.
Yesterday, a prosecutor from the DPP’s office appeared in court and tendered several pieces of evidence to be used in the High Court. Those included surveillance footage from several business places around St John’s.
But one crucial piece of evidence was not admitted into evidence because it was said to be with the forensic department to be sent off for analysis.
It will therefore have to be tendered at the High Court some time after September when the case is called.
Mussington’s lawyer, Wendel Robinson, noted that no document was submitted to indicate “the fact” that his client collapsed on several occasions after the incident and had to be admitted to the hospital.
He said that whether or not the fainting was fake, the medical documents should be present to ensure balance in the case.
Moreover, “the medical circumstances of the accused are critical because he was also stabbed”, Robinson remarked.
Nevertheless, the magistrate committed the case.
It is believed that on November 14 2020, the soca artiste killed his reported ex-partner, 45-year-old Whyte, in the heart of St John’s.
The incident reportedly occurred at around 8.30pm at a store located at the junction of Market and Tanner streets.
Whyte, who worked at a nearby hair salon, was apparently socialising in the area when the assailant attacked her with a sharp object. She died around two hours later.
After the incident, the accused reportedly fled the scene, and the police launched a manhunt to capture him.
Whyte moved to Antigua from Jamaica in 2015 to make a better life for her children. Her body was repatriated last December following a fundraising effort to return her to her homeland.
Mussington is currently being held on remand in prison.