The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE Chief of Medical Staff officer at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre was a no-show for his appearance before a judge to explain why he should not be held in

contempt for failing to have a report surrendered to the court as requested.

Now, Dr Nelson Clarke faces another possible contempt if he is unable to provide an appropriate excuse on July 20 for failing to appear yesterday morning before Senior Justice Jon Isaacs.

Dr Nelson Clarke was issued a summons by Senior Justice Jon Isaacs to appear before him yesterday for his response to prison chief Dr Elliston Rahming’s explanation that it was not the prison’s fault for the court’s order being defied concerning 46-year-old Richard Gibson of Sunshine Park.

Gibson is accused of murdering his 15-year-old daughter Richa Gibson. Last October, the teenager was stabbed to death at her home in Sunshine Park during an argument.

When the 46-year-old father appeared before Senior Justice Isaacs in April to be arraigned in the Supreme Court, he told the court that he was suffering from a mental disability.

Justice Isaacs deferred the arraignment and ordered a psychiatric evaluation of the accused.

On Tuesday, prosecutor Paul Jones told the judge that numerous written requests to the prison superintendent had not been followed, but he had received a letter from the prison doctor the previous day that the accused was on daily medication.

In Wednesday’s proceedings, when Senior Justice Isaacs asked for an explanation as to why his April 13 order had been disregarded, Dr Rahming said his agency did comply with the court’s request in April though that request was only a copy of the original sent to the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

Dr Rahming produced documents to support his claims, which, according to the documents, Gibson was seen by a psychiatrist on April 18, five days after the court’s order.

Justice Isaacs asked prosecutor Roger Thompson, representing the Crown in the summons matter, if the prosecution were in receipt of a copy of the report from the psychiatrist who evaluated the accused.

Mr Thompson said no. A summons was then issued for Dr Clarke to appear to explain the hold up on the report.

Yesterday, however, 15 minutes after court’s designated start time, the SRC chief of medical staff was not present. Senior Justice Isaacs walked into court a minute later and inquired on the whereabouts of the officer from Mr Thompson.

The prosecutor said he had personally spoken with the SRC- physician the previous day and an hour before court started when Dr Clarke informed him that he was on his way.

Mr Thompson asked the judge for a five minute adjournment so that he could contact Dr Clarke. However, the judge did not give a short break. He instead, issued another summons for the physician on July 20 at 9am.