Cool off time

Despite desperately maintaining his innocence and telling the court the complainant had lied on him, Rachad Barry Boyce found himself back behind bars on Wednesday.

Boyce, of 2nd Avenue Kellman Land, Black Rock, St Michael, appearing before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes, denied using the threatening words, “I would hit you in your face with this racquet and shoot you in your belly”, to Akili Boyce on July 21.

Police prosecutor Constable Verdon Forde objected to Boyce being granted bail on the grounds of the serious nature of the offence and the fact that a firearm was allegedly used.

He revealed that the accused man was already on bail for a firearm-related offence and there was a need for the complainant and society to be protected from the accused. Forde suggested that there was the possibility Boyce would re-offend if granted bail.

In a passionate bail application, Boyce said he was playing road tennis at the time the alleged incident took place and therefore could not have had a gun in his hand.

“I did not have a firearm and I did not threaten anyone. I was playing road tennis so I ain’t know how I could have a gun,” he told the court.

Boyce said he was surprised the virtual complainant would make such a report to police because he [Akili] was in a relationship with his cousin and there were no “vibes” between the two of them.

The accused said he had also recently started his own business raising chickens and growing vegetables.

He pleaded with the Chief Magistrate not to remand him to prison because he had been wrongly accused.

But Weekes told him that he would “hold him” for a bit to let things “simmer down” before remanding him to HMP Dodds until September 1.