Chief magistrate frustrated with waste of resources

Taxpayers’ money and police resources are being wasted almost daily by complainants who come to court and drop cases as quickly as they are filed, said Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes on Wednesday.

This came as complainants in separate cases appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court No. 1 to say they were no longer interested in pursuing the cases against the accused and wanted them dropped, earning them a rebuke from the Bench.

“Do you all understand that it is taxpayers’ money that is being wasted?” an annoyed chief magistrate said, noting that such actions were not only squandering judicial time but already stretched police resources, which could be utilised elsewhere. 

“The public keeps calling the police and want the police to be everywhere at every time. Yet when they make a report and the police pursue the investigation, use police time and resources, they then come in the next day to the court and they want to drop the cases. It is also a complete waste of judicial time as well,” Weekes chided, adding: “Don’t you understand that you all are taking police away from dealing with other matters.” 

He made the comments after one complainant in an alleged assault, and another complainant in an alleged wounding, took the witness stand in court and indicated that they were unwilling to proceed.   

After the complainants declared that they had not been forced or threatened and had made the decision of their own free will, Weekes dismissed both charges, and said, “You all can go”. .