After spending exactly one year on remand on an attempted murder charge, 39-year-old Allan Smartt was freed yesterday after the virtual complainant told the High Court that she no longer wished to proceed with the matter.
Smartt appeared before Justice Peter Hugh, with prosecutors Padma Dubraj and Geneva Wills and defence attorney Glendon Greenidge.
The matter took an unexpected turn after Smartt’s guilty plea, entered on August 5, 2026, was vacated on Monday and the case was empanelled for trial.
Smartt had sought to withdraw his guilty plea.
However, the complainant Debbie Samuels appeared in court yesterday, entered the witness box and was sworn. She subsequently indicated that she did not wish to proceed with the case.
Justice Hugh then directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.
Smartt had been in custody since August 31, 2025, following allegations that he attacked the complainant, Debbie Samuels, at her Kuru Kururu home.
The court was previously told that Samuels, 37, and Smartt had been in an intimate relationship for about 15 years and share a child.
The allegations arose after Samuels attended the Friendship Magistrate’s Court on August 25, 2025, in relation to another matter involving Smartt. Although she chose not to proceed with that matter, the Magistrate granted a restraining order against him.
Police alleged that two days later, Smartt contacted Samuels and told her he had been released from prison and wanted to see her. She reportedly refused, but the calls allegedly continued and Smartt allegedly attempted to approach her.
On August 31, 2025, Samuels was reportedly asleep at home when she was awakened by a loud sound.
She allegedly saw Smartt leaning over her and, when she questioned his presence, he allegedly told her, “I come fo kill you.”
It was further alleged that Smartt struck her in the lower chest area and injured her face as she attempted to resist him.
A struggle reportedly followed, moving from the bedroom into the living room, before Smartt escaped.
The couple’s son, was reportedly in another bedroom and allegedly heard the threat and the ensuing struggle. He later reportedly saw the two in the living room before Smartt fled.
Samuels reportedly fell and became unconscious while attempting to leave the house through another door. A family friend subsequently took her to the Diamond Regional Hospital.
The injuries reportedly included a stab wound beneath the breast area and a long scrape to the neck after a knife was allegedly placed against her throat and pulled across it.
Following the incident, Smartt reportedly ingested poison and was hospitalized.
The relationship between the two had previously resulted in several court matters, including one in which Samuels allegedly suffered an injury to her hand and another involving threatening language which was eventually dismissed.
It was also raised that while Smartt was on remand, he and members of his family continued to contact Samuels by telephone.
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