Sister surrenders as brother’s surety

One of her responsibilities as surety was to bring her brother to his court dates, but now she has brought him to court for entirely different reasons.

It is alleged that Terrance Joseph, a resident of Paul’s Avenue, did on December 18 damage 3×3 sliding windows, the property of his sister Sonia Joseph. It is also alleged that Joseph unlawfully and maliciously wounded his sister on this same day at their residence in Paul’s Avenue. The brother pleaded not guilty to both offences before magistrate Bertie Pompey, at a sitting of the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on January 2.

A swift objection to bail came by way of the prosecutor, who stated that because the parties live in the same house, the defendant would be likely to interfere in the investigations. It was also noted that he was already on bail for another matter.

At this point, his sister Sonia Joseph, who was present in court, took the stand to surrender herself as her brother’s surety. Sonia, who has reportedly stood surety for her sibling whenever he was “in trouble”, came to the stand with a two inch bandage on the left side of her head, just above her ear.

The magistrate allowed her to surrender as his surety and remanded the defendant into custody.

Before the magistrate gave him his next court date, Terrance mistakenly got down from the stand and started proceeding to the prisoners’ bay. He was called back and he said to the magistrate, “I sorry for what I go down and do,” referring to his faux pas.

Bail review is to be considered in one week’s time, but the defendant will have his trial on February 20.(KR)