A sigh of relief

Shannon’s disappearance earlier this month and the gruesome discovery of her body traumatised not only her loved ones, but the nation.

How could a 20-year-old woman meet such a fate in the middle of a busy shopping district? Now that a person is before the court, however, it is important for the process of law to take its course. As invested as the public has been in this matter, all the people who are charged are innocent until proven guilty.

It should not be assumed that the person today behind bars has been convicted. A clear process, which involves giving an accused person a right to be heard in court, must now unfold. First there will be an inquiry, then there will be a trial.

Sadly, however, the timeline of justice is likely to be a long one given the nature of our court system.

It is hoped that truth will one day come to light, whether at a trial or elsewhere. For now we must respect the court process and also the rights of all people involved, in the hope that justice will result.

According to officers of the Police Service, members of the business community played a key role in the investigation.

Such cooperation is to be lauded.

The developments in the case involving Shannon came as Jeniece Hamilton, 15, who had been reported missing on Saturday, was found alive and well.

Both cases are reminders of the role of the public in providing information.

The investigation into the case involving Shannon involved engagement with a range of communities.

It went outside of Charlotte Street and to the environs of Port-of-Spain, including Laventille.

If there is to be a dent on crime, there needs to be a good level of cooperation with the police. But this also means the police must work to garner the trust of the public.

This is a job the police has to work on very diligently. As a New Year’s resolution for 2017, the Police Service should seek to focus on this.

In the meanwhile, as the case involving Shannon is now before the court, commentary on the matter should now focus on letting due process take place. The media should play a role in this regard.

There will be the perennial concern about excessive pre-trial publicity, though a trial – if one is called for after a preliminary inquiry – is likely to be years away.

This brings us to a related but important point, and that is the need for criminal justice reform.

Too often, high-profile cases have lingered for years – first at the investigation phase then in the court system – before trial proceedings get underway.

And also too often have we seen high-profile cases collapse after much expense and drama.

The longest, most expensive case in the country’s history – involving the murder of Vindra Naipaul-Coolman – did not result in a conviction by the jury.

Serious questions were asked about the administration of the case as well as the evidence marshalled in court.

As long as the criminal justice system remains in a state of paralysis, then developments such as Tuesday’s in relation to Shannon’s case will not have the impact of deterring criminals.

What is needed to do that is for the public to see justice done, in a fair manner, at trial, where the quality of the investigation and evidence can be laid bare for all to see.