One day after Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham vowed to get crime under control, a judge – once again – postponed the Randy Fraser sex crime trial for what some see as an unacceptable reason. The delay is thought to be another tactic from the defence to stall the trial and delay justice.
The trial has taken years to complete, while a similar trial of another perverted pastor in Grand Bahama took only three weeks.
Fraser, pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Temple on St James Road, allegedly had a sexual relationship with an underaged girl he was counseling between July 2005 and February 2006.
The verdict was expected to be handed down by Magistrate Carolita Bethel after closing submissions in the trial were made nearly two months ago.
The excuse for this latest delay is, that defence attorney Jiaram Mangra, who apparently works on behalf on lead attorney Wayne Munroe, was absent from court yesterday. The court was informed that Mr Mangra was sick and would not be able to attend yesterday’s hearing with his client Bishop Fraser.
Of course, it would be the responsbility of the law firm to send a replacement.
“It is frightening to think that Mr Munroe, who is running as a candidate for the DNA in the next general election, would allow his firm to pervert justice by failing to have a replacement attorney show up for such an important court appearance.”
It is not entirely clear why, given the advanced notice of the timing of the case and the many delays that have already occurred, the magistrate would have allowed another postponement. It is assumed that it would be within her power to penalize the law firm for their failure to appear and deliver her verdict anyway.
“It is exactly this type of foolishness that Minister of Security Tommy Turnquest was referring to when he criticised judges the week before last,” said one person familiar with the legal sector.
Indeed, it is hard to believe that anyone would not view this as another attempt to stall the case.
This time, the case has been postponed until October 31, 2011.
