The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN awaiting trial concerning a fatal nightclub shooting in Abaco has been granted $35,000 bail in the Supreme Court.

Lorenzo Pritchard and Renaldo Williams face a charge of murder in the October 23 slaying of Christopher Hield.

Both appeared before Magistrate Andrew Forbes on Thursday, December 15, for the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment.

However, the documents were not ready and police prosecutor Supt Ercell Dorsett requested an adjournment to February 21, 2017.

The following day, on Friday, Williams and his lawyer Terrel Butler appeared before Justice Milton Evans in Supreme Court applying for bail.

However, the application was opposed by prosecutor Raquel Whymms on the basis that there was no undue delay in the case and the serious nature of the offence.

Ms Butler argued that this was not sufficient for the state to detain an accused person who has the right to presumption of innocence.

Justice Evans ultimately exercised his discretion to grant bail to Williams in the amount of $35,000.

However, the conditions for bail were that Williams must be electronically monitored, surrender his travel documents and report to the Cooper’s Town Police Station three times per week on/or before 6pm.

Justice Evans also imposed a daily 9pm to 6am curfew on Williams.

According to initial police reports, Hield was involved in an argument with another man near a nightclub off S C Bootle Highway. Shortly after the argument, a suspect allegedly went to his vehicle, got a shotgun and shot Hield before fleeing the area in an unknown direction.

Hield was taken to the local clinic where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police in Abaco immediately mounted an island-wide manhunt that resulted in the arrest of two male suspects for questioning in connection with the incident.

Pritchard and Williams will not be allowed to enter a plea to the murder charge until they are formally arraigned before a judge of the Supreme Court.