Beaten in custody, accused claims

A lawyer who had been retained by murder accused Hakeem Roberto Stuart today told the court he had complained of being beaten while in police custody.

That was the evidence of Rasheeda Edwards, who said Stuart requested to be seen by a medical practitioner and this was eventually granted.

Edwards was on the witness stand as the murder trial against Stuart continued in the No.3 Supreme Court before Justice Carlisle Greaves.

Stuart, 24, of Shelbourne Gap, St Lawrence, Christ Church, is accused of murdering Damian Trotman on March 21, 2019.

Under questioning from defense counsel Andrew Pilgrim, KC, Edwards, who works alongside Pilgrim at his law firm Pilgrim and Associates, said she visited Stuart at the District ‘A’ Police Station on March 23, 2019.

She said on that date Stuart complained that his ears were hurting. She recalled that Stuart told her Sergeant Cumberbatch had “boxed him about his head and ears multiple times”.

As a result, she said she advised him of his right to see a medical practitioner and to make a report to the station orderly.

Edwards said she also made a report to the station orderly and requested that Stuart be seen by a medical practitioner. She said as far as she was aware he was seen.

Edwards told the court she was made aware by Stuart that he had been shot at by police in the St Matthias, Christ Church area.

However, she said she did not investigate that claim any further as she was not retained in connection with that matter.

Also taking the witness stand were Police Station Sergeant Rondelle Lynch and Sergeant Colleen Forde of the Barbados Prison Service.

Lynch, who is the Station Sergeant at the District ‘A’ Police Station, testified that the public medical journal which contained the findings of the doctor who examined Stuart, could not be located.

Reading from the station’s diary, Lynch said Stuart was seen by Dr Andrew Murray. The witness said according to the diary Stuart complained of a pain in his right ear and wanted to see a doctor.

However, under cross examination from State Counsel Romario Straker, Lynch said the diary showed that on several other occasions Stuart indicated that he was “ok” and “cool” when asked how he felt.

Earlier, Forde told the court that when Stuart was admitted to Dodds prison on March 30, 2019, he complained of a painful right ear.

She said he also had a rash on the left side of his neck and on both his arms.

Forde said Stuart saw a doctor after being admitted to the prison and he was prescribed antibiotics and painkillers.