The first-ever judge-only murder trial is set to commence in the High Court today. The defendant is Jeffrey Daniel, who is accused of killing David Roberts back in 2021.
It is alleged that on May 21 that year, an altercation ensued between then 26-year-old Daniel and 56-year-old David Roberts, who were known to each other.
The body of the older man was later found in the vicinity of his home with what appeared to be injuries, before a doctor pronounced him dead the same day.
Daniel appeared before Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel in the All Saints Magistrate’s Court days after the incident, and after a few adjournments, the matter was sent up to the High Court.
When he appeared before Justice Colin Williams in May last year, Daniel pleaded not guilty to the crime, and months later he was given a trial date for December 2nd.
However, the trial was postponed until April this year, before it was yet again pushed back by several months.
The accused will finally have his day in court today before Justice Tunde Bakre – who was appointed to serve as a High Court judge from the start of October, replacing Justice Williams.
Daniel is represented by attorney Wendel Alexander – formerly Robinson – and the trial is expected to last about a week.
Judge-only trials were introduced into the legal system during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic – under the Criminal Proceedings (Trial by Judge Alone) Act – as a means of addressing a backlog of cases caused as a result of the unavailability of jurors.