There was insufficient evidence for her to stand trial: Delpesche

After a year in prison on a murder charge, 20-year-old Tameka Sutherland walked away from the Serious Offences Court a free woman, on Thursday, January 19.{{more}}

Sutherland, who was jointly charged with Godwin Moses, now deceased, for the 2010 murder of Steveon Springer, was cleared of the charge against her after prosecutor Adolphus Delpesche conceded that there was insufficient evidence for her to stand trial.

Delpesche said the prosecution was relying on the caution statement of Sutherland as an accomplice to the crime.

In an interview yesterday, Delpesche outlined that in Sutherland’s statement, she had said that while in Kingstown, Moses told her to track down Springer, because he had something for Springer and that he was going home to get it.

Sutherland stated that she had lost track of Springer somewhere between the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital and Yankee’s Fried Chicken.

Delpesche said Sutherland stated that while in a omnibus, travelling in the Karib Cable area, she saw people gathered in the street and when she inquired what had happened, she learned that Springer had been shot.

Springer was shot in the back of his head in the vicinity of Karib Cable on Murray Road, while he was carrying his one-year-old daughter in his arms. He also sustained a gunshot wound to his hip.

The court, was however of the view that what Sutherland said in her caution statement did not amount to a confession.

“I agreed with the court and decided not to answer to a no-case submission and we discharged the matter against her,” Delpesche said.

Moses was shot and killed by police on December 11, 2011 in the Mt Wynne area after escaping prison authorities’ custody on November 21, 2011.

A total of six witnesses were called by the prosecution.

Within the last three weeks, three persons have walked away from murder charges. First was Asquith John of Questelles, who was acquitted on January 9, for the murder of Kevin ‘Bread’ Toby, on March 22, 2011.

Toby was shot in the head.

The prosecution was forced to discharge the matter against John after key witness David Bennett told the court that he was not giving testimony in the matter.

On January 18, Enos Providence and Hudson Shortte, both of Friendship, Bequia, were freed of the November 21, 2010 murder of Dwayne Byron Charles of Bequia.

After receiving instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, prosecutor Delpesche withdrew the matter against both men, because the matter had not passed the evidential test for a prima facie case to be made out.

Charles, 36, succumbed to his injuries after he had been stabbed several times during an altercation.