An army prosecutor told a court martial on Wednesday that the heart of its case against an accused private is about discipline during the “war against COVID”, as he urged the military tribunal for find him guilty as charged.
But minutes before Captain Neville Corbin made that submission in his opening address to the panel, Private Raheem Anthony Reeves pleaded not guilty to the charge that on March 14, he left his place of duty without reasonable excuse.
Captain Corbin suggested to the court, sitting at the Barbados Defence Force St Ann’s Fort headquarters, that Private Reeves’s decision to abandon his post could have compromised the safety of his colleagues and Barbadians as a whole.
Pointing out that discipline was essential for the efficient and successful execution of operations and was the foundation upon which professional military forces are built, Captain Corbin recalled that the accused was at the time part of a team stationed at the Florence Gittens Medical Facility at St Ann’s Fort, responsible for sanitising BDF vehicles involved in a COVID-19 operation.
“We were at war against COVID-19, but we have a private soldier Raheem Anthony Reeves leaving a duty that was critical to Operation Trident Shield because he said he does not eat BDF’s food,” the prosecutor stated.
“Sanitisation was needed to keep the public of Barbados and members of the BDF safe, so that he was a critical cog in the wheel to ensure that the vehicles used by the BDF to operationalise the intent of the COS [Chief of Staff] were sanitised.”
Contending that the BDF is a comparatively small defence force with “enormous” responsibilities, especially in times of public emergency, the army prosecutor said the need for discipline was therefore non-negotiable.
To try to further ground his argument, Captain Corbin cited the Defence Act which applies to officers and soldiers of the regular army, whether within or outside of Barbados.
“This means regardless of what is going on in our lives, service to nation comes first,” he said. “The COS can call me now, deploy any of us overseas at a moment’s notice, and we have to pack our bags and go.
The prosecutor pointed out that every commanding officer or other officer must investigate any complaint received by him, according to the law, and take all necessary steps to seek redress.
But he told the panel that Private Reeves had legal advice at every step of his disciplinary issues.
“But we are to believe that all these conspiracies are afoot and breaches of rights and welfare issue, and HQ BDF is yet to receive some letter from his battery of lawyers,” he declared, noting that under Section 173 of the Defence Act, a BDF soldier who thinks himself wronged in any matter by any officer other than his commanding officer or by any soldier, may make a complaint with respect to that matter to his commanding officer.
The first prosecution witness called on Wednesday was Lieutenant Mark Jemmott, the Acting Officer Commanding Support Company of the Barbados Regiment, who is responsible for the management of all personnel and assets.
The court heard that he provided the orders for Reeves to go on duty.
Under cross-examination by attorney for the accused, Michael Lashley, QC, Lt Jemmott testified that provisions could be made for soldiers to eat outside of the BDF. But he sought to make clear that this should not affect a soldier’s duties.
The witness also testified that if the absence of a special diet was affecting his health, a medical report would be done and he would be removed from duty.
He said he was aware of “a report” made by Private Reeves but could not confirm the present status.
A second witness was Lance Corporal Mark John, who was the Barracks Guard at the time and attached to the Communications Information Systems Platoon (CISP).
Lance Corporal John, who was responsible for signing in and out soldiers, told the court martial he did not know the accused was on duty when he signed him out the day in question.
The President of the Court is Lieutenant Commander John Mapp and the Judge Advocate is Krystal Delanie.
The trial continues Friday at 8.30 a.m. (EJ)
