The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was remanded to Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre yesterday after appearing in Magistrate’s Court to be charged in connection with the death of a woman who was found in a home, burnt beyond recognition.

Alton Miller, 36, was brought before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt to face charges of murder and arson. It is alleged that he set fire to the Whites Addition home of Beverly Rolle and through his actions, caused the death of an unknown woman on March 11.

The identity of the victim was not listed on court dockets. However, at the crime scene last week, family said the dead woman was Tiffany Knowles, 33, the mother of three.

In yesterday’s arraignment, Miller’s lawyer Michael Kemp described his client’s situation as “very unfortunate”. He described the incident as a “crime of passion” with children being affected.

Mr Kemp said the incident could have been avoided, but his client’s family’s request for help from the religious community and police were not answered.

“I’d ask, with undue haste, that he has a psychiatric evaluation,” Mr Kemp said, seeking to determine Miller’s state of mind and his fitness to plead to the charges in proceedings going forward.

Police prosecutor ASP Clifford Daxon questioned why an evaluation was needed given that “the court asked the defendant certain questions and he answered.”

“On the face of it, he gave intelligent response, but I cannot determine his fitness on that,” Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt said.

“I need to find out whether SRC is in a position to receive him and I am of the view that once the report has been prepared, it is for the experts to assist me in whether or not the charges should be put to him,” she added.

The matter was adjourned to April 28, when the report on the ordered evaluation is expected to be complete and presented for a status hearing.

A separate date, May 29, was reserved for the presentation of a Voluntary Bill of Indictment, which would fast-track the case to Supreme Court for trial.

According to initial reports, police were led to the crime scene by a man who showed up at a police station and told them that he had an altercation with a woman.

Police went to the White’s Addition area and met a two-story concrete structure engulfed in flames. The fire services branch of the Royal Bahamas Police Force extinguished the fire and when officers went inside, they found the woman’s charred, burnt remains.