In another horrific affront to justice in The Bahamas, the unlawful sexual intercourse trial of Earl ‘Randy’ Fraser was postponed again yesterday because the magistrate did not show up for work.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Carolita Bethel did not show up for court yesterday to hand down the long-awaited verdict in the sex trial of Fraser, who is a pervert posing as a man of God.
Fraser is accused of having an illicit sexual relationship from July 2005 to February 2006 with a 16-year-old girl he was supposed to be counseling.
This is the fourth time the magistrate has postponed the verdict and no excuse was offered as to why she did not show up for court yesterday.
Most of the public has lost faith in Magistrate Bethel, with many thinking she is unacceptably incompetent. Indeed, she has contributed greatly to the delay of many cases, adding to the court’s backlog and disrupting the already dysfunctional Bahamian judicial process.
Bethel was once accused of soliciting bribes, but little came of the allegations since they were made by Samuel “Ninety’ Knowles, a convicted drug kingpin.
Supporters of Knowles confirmed his allegations and suggested that Magistrate Bethel would often delay cases in order to give defence lawyers time to “negotiate” with her. They said that if “negotiations” were unsuccessful, the suspect would be found guilty.
The allegations are unsupported and unsubstantiated.
When making the accusations, Mr Knowles made it clear that he would not go that route.
Coincidentally, he was found guilty and eventually extradited to the United States where he is serving a 30-year sentence.
There has never been any evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Magistrate Bethel and no investigation into her behaviour.
Fraser’s verdict is expected to be handed down today.
