The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

TWO of the three men police arrested on Sunday in connection with the botched robbery of the Atlantis casino’s cash cage were arraigned in Magistrate’s Court yesterday facing more than 30 criminal charges.

Vadis Morrison, 32, of Hunt Street and Tarico Bethel, 30, of Deveaux Street were flanked by policemen yesterday from the time they got out of a police bus outside court until they entered Deputy Chief Magistrate Bethell’s courtroom on the second floor of the Magistrates’ Court complex.

The deputy chief magistrate told the accused they were each faced with 32 charges against them, the first being armed robbery.

It is claimed that the two men, on Sunday, September 23, while armed with a pepper spray, robbed Sharon Thompson of $106,260 and 10 cents, the property of the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort.

The magistrate told the accused that due to the nature of the charge, they were not required to enter a plea. She also noted that the matter could proceed by a pre-trial in Magistrate’s Court or be fast-tracked to the Supreme Court through a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI) based on the choice of the prosecution.

The police prosecutor chose the VBI.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Bethell continued with the arraignment, reading the remaining 31 charges against the accused.

The second charge the men faced was shop breaking where it is claimed they broke into the Resorts cashier’s cage with intent to steal.

The following 30 charges were garroting and causing harm with matters of aggravation, 15 of each.

It is claimed that the two, intending to commit armed robbery, attempted to render 15 employees of Atlantis incapable of giving resistance and causing them harm in the process.

Once the 32 charges were completed, the accused were given their date for the VBI presentation, which will occur on November 27 at 12.45pm.

Following this, attorney Ian Cargill, representing Bethell claimed the charges were duplicitous, noting that the shop breaking charge and 15 counts of garroting were negated by the charge of armed robbery and counts of causing harm.

The magistrate said the arguments could be made if the matter was proceeding in a preliminary trial.

Mr Cargill answered that she did have the jurisdiction to order the matter to proceed by a pre-trial. However, Deputy Chief Magistrate Bethell said she would not do so. She informed the accused men that they were not eligible for bail due to the charge of armed robbery. She said the Magistrate’s Court did not have the discretion to grant a bond.

Morrison and Bethel were escorted out of court and taken to prison where they will remain on remand until completion of their trial. Morrison has retained Murrio Ducille to defend him.

While the two of the men were remanded to prison, the third man, a 24-year-old police officer, arrested on Sunday, was released due to lack of information and evidence concerning his alleged involvement.

There has been no information on when the remaining two suspects in police custody will be arraigned.