Four men will have to lead a defence in the case of the 2024 kidnapping of Joshua David but two others were freed of the charge in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Magistrate Annette Singh yesterday discharged Osafo Peters and Alpha Poole in connection with the 2024 kidnapping of Joshua David, called ‘Bricks,’ ruling that the prosecution had not established a sufficient case against the pair to send the matter forward for trial.
Delivering her decision after reviewing witness testimony, cross-examination and submissions from both the prosecution and the defence, Magistrate Singh said the evidence presented against Peters and Poole, including video footage, did not meet the threshold required to commit them on the abduction charge. The case against the two men was accordingly dismissed.
However, the magistrate found that sufficient evidence had been established to proceed against four of their co-accused Wayne Barker, Devante Mars, Aaron Allen and Wayne Griffin on the abduction charge. The ruling pointed to testimony from a witness as central to that finding. The matter was adjourned to June 24 for further proceedings.
The seven men identified as the main suspects in David’s abduction had earlier appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, where they were jointly charged with the abduction of David, which occurred on September 26 on Main Street, Georgetown. None of the accused Wayne Barker, 34, of Norton Street, Lodge; Aaron Alleyne, called “Cats,” 26, of West La Penitence; Davantai Mars, called “Sharkie,” 21, of Middle Road, La Penitence; Damion Barlow, called “Dangles,” 32, of Norton Street, Wortmanville; and Dwayne Griffith, called “Sheik,” 24, of William Street, Kitty was required to enter a plea at that stage.
Prosecutor Inspector Jones had objected to bail, telling the court that police had received information that the victim was murdered and that the search for his body was ongoing. The prosecutor also said police had CCTV footage capturing the accused committing the crime, as well as eyewitness accounts. Magistrate McGusty overruled the objection, noting that the offence was bailable under the law and that the victim’s body had not been found. Each of the men was granted $500,000 bail, with the condition that they report to the Brickdam Police Station
Peters and Poole had been charged separately with the abduction under Section 4 of the Kidnapping Act and were initially remanded to prison. At that same hearing, those charges were dismissed, and the pair was jointly charged alongside the other five suspects. They were placed on $500,000 bail each.
Attorney Everton Singh-Lammy, who represented Peters and Poole during the initial phase of the proceedings, maintained that it was the prosecution’s responsibility to provide evidence against his clients and noted that neither man appeared in video footage of the incident that had circulated on social media.
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