No show lawyers

When the magistrate arrived shortly before 11 am, he was forced to adjourn the extradition hearing of 60-year-old murder accused David Winfield Mitchell to September 6 because his attorney Leon Gokool failed to show up. Gokool was scheduled to make closing submissions yesterday.

Mitchell is wanted in the United States for the 1982 murder of a teenaged beauty queen.

The preliminary inquiry into charges of murder and conspiracy to murder charges against high-ranking Jamaat Al Muslimeen member David “Buffy” Millard failed to begin due to the absence of his attorney Evans Welch.

Millard apologised to the court on behalf of his attorney and requested another adjournment.

He told the magistrate that Welch was out of the country and he would have sent a letter to Mc Nicolls informing him of his absence. The magistrate, however, said he had not received any correspondence from Welch.

Millard is jointly charged with Jamaat leader Imam Yasin Abu Bakr with conspiring to murder two expelled members of the Jamaat — Salim Rasheed and Zaki Aubaidah.

The offence is alleged to have taken place on June 4, 2003, at Citrine Drive, Diamond Vale. Millard is also charged with the murder of Jilla Bowen.

It is alleged that Millard, also called Mustapha, fatally shot Bowen on June 4, 2003, in the car park at MovieTowne, Invaders Bay. Millard will reappear before Mc Nicolls on September 6.