The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net A MAN was arraigned in court yesterday in connection with the shooting death of a Chinese man. Cleophas Clarke, 19, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Carolita Bethell at Court 8, Nassau Street, accused of killing 45-year-old Wing Hong Chan outside his home on Village Road on Monday, January 23. Mr Chan, who worked at the VIP Chinese restaurant and was related to one of its owners, was shot and killed during an armed robbery. He had reportedly just returned home after celebrating the Chinese New Year with family and friends when he was approached by a gunman at around 3.30am. After being robbed of his cell phone, Mr Chan was then shot. He died a short time later in hospital. At yesterday's hearing, Clarke was not required to enter a plea to the charge due to the nature of the offence. He was informed by the magistrate that the prosecution would present a Voluntary Bill of Indictment against him on April 19. The Bill will directly forward the case to the Supreme Court for trial, bypassing a lengthy pre-trial in Magistrate's Court. Deputy Chief Magistrate Bethell told the accused he could not be considered for, or granted, bail due to the nature of the offence. Clarke was also charged with housebreaking, theft and arson all alleged to have taken place on the same day as Mr Chan's murder. It is claimed he broke into a house at Winton Meadows, Yamacraw Beach Estates, and stole a Toshiba TV and gold ring together valued at $3,200. Deputy Chief Magistrate Bethell told the accused he was not allowed to enter a plea to those charges or select where he wished to have the matters tried as they had all been tied to arson, which cannot be tried in the Magistrate's Court. The prosecution will present a Voluntary Bill of Indictment regarding this matter on the same day that Clarke returns to court, April 19. Bail was not an option for him, the magistrate said, as he already had been denied a bond on the murder charge he has against him. Clarke, who did not have an attorney present during his arraignment, was remanded to Her Majesty's Prison, Fox Hill.