The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A SEVENTH Street resident was remanded to prison yesterday after being arraigned on a murder charge.

Fred Lifaite, 40, of The Grove, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt accused of intentionally causing the death of 42-year-old Dave Miller on February 15.

Shortly after 5pm on the day in question, Miller was seen driving a champagne coloured Toyota Camry west on Coconut Grove Avenue at a high rate of speed, when he turned south and collided into a wall.

Police initially were called to the scene of a traffic accident but when they arrived, officers discovered the victim had been shot in the head.

Lifaite has been charged with murder under Section 291 (1)(B) of the Penal Code.

A charge under this section does not attract the discretionary death penalty if a conviction is reached at the end of trial.

He was not allowed to enter a plea to the charge due to the nature of the offence.

The case will be forwarded to the Supreme Court through the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment on April 19.

The accused was further charged with possession of ammunition and possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

It is alleged that the 40-year-old was found with three live .38 bullets on February 27 along with a quantity of marijuana.

The ammunition charge will be attached to the murder case while Lifaite will await trial on the drug allegations.

A fixture hearing for the latter offence will also take place on April 19.

No lawyer appeared for the accused in yesterday’s arraignment.

However he claimed to have two lawyers, Ian Cargill and Philip Hilton, neither of whom police contacted during his time in custody.

The chief magistrate made a note of the complaint before remanding Lifaite to the Department of Correctional Services.

The accused has the right to apply for bail at the Supreme Court.