By Latrishka Thomas
A St Johnston’s Village man who is accused of fatally stabbing a fellow villager will either have to stand trial or plead guilty before a High Court judge now that a magistrate has declared there is sufficient evidence against him.
Alfred Delice, who is represented by attorney Wendel Robinson, appeared before Magistrate Conliffe Clarke in the St John’s Magistrate’s Court for the fifth time yesterday, where his case was finally committed and eight pieces of evidence tendered for use in the higher court some time after May.
The prosecution also intends to call more than 15 witnesses in the event that Delice denies committing the offence and the matter goes to trial.
The St Lucian national — who is currently on remand — reportedly got into an altercation with Steve Pablo Francis on July 14 2021 at around 8.45pm during which he apparently armed himself with a screwdriver and stabbed Francis in the left side of his neck.
According to police reports, the two men had been engaged in a fiery argument over a female. They were on a playing field in St Johnston’s Village when the incident occurred.
Francis was rushed to the hospital in grave condition. Delice later turned himself over to the police and was charged with attempted murder.
But about seven days later, Francis, a 42-year-old father-of-one, succumbed to his injuries and the charge against Delice was upgraded to murder.