Skype was used for the first time yesterday in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts when a London-based witness testified in the preliminary inquiry (PI) into the murder charge against former Guyana Defence Force Private Abiola Jacobs, who is accused of killing her ex-boyfriend’s mother, Donna Taylor.
Samantha Sabat, who resides in United Kingdom, was able to testify via Skype from the Guyana High Commission located in London. Sabat at the time of the murder was a guest at Taylor’s 1617 Agricola Public Road, East Bank Demerara home.
Jacobs is charged with killing Taylor on January 31, 2014. Taylor, 55, was discovered in the backyard of her home with her throat slit.
After the technicians had completed setting-up and testing their equipment to ensure video and audio efficiency the proceedings commenced at around 11am before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry
The Chief Magistrate descended the bench and sat in the well of the court at the bar table in the company of the prosecutor and defence attorney. This was to facilitate them sitting in close proximity to the laptop computer used for the call and to also aid in efficient audio for the Skype conversation.
A projector was also used for magnification purposes. Apart from a number of intermittent glitches in the communication line, once connected the proceedings went ahead considerably well with video and audio quality.
Following the initial commencement, the signal was momentarily lost close to 1pm due to a Guyana Power and Light (GPL) failure. This caused visible concern and disbelief which was expressed in the form of sighs by those in attendance. Some people could be heard whispering, “Trust GPL,” as they shook their heads and smiled in amazement.
This situation was however short-lived as the standby generator became activated within seconds of the outage. Sometime after this, the reception was distorted and the witness reported that she was unable to hear the other end of the line. The call was then disconnected. This was then compounded by the disconnection of the internet service.
The matter was resultantly stood down while the technicians rectified the problems. The case was recalled at 2:15 pm and the proceedings continued with just a final delay and break in transmission when the computer spontaneously restarted owing to the configuration of updates.
Sabat was able to successfully complete giving her evidence and was cross-examined by defence attorney Adrian Thompson. Immediately after, the court then witnessed the live on-screen transmission via scanning of the deposition to the witness, who signed and initialed each page and returned same as instructed by the court.
This marked the end of Sabat’s testimony as Thompson noted that he had no need to recall the witness. Yesterday marked the first time that this type of technology was being used in any of the magistrate’s courts in Guyana. It has, however, been used in the High Court.
Prosecutor Michael Grant explained to Stabroek News that the technology was the brainchild of the prosecution. He explained that the process is now a permanent one, adding that Georgetown Magistrates’ Court One is now internet ready. He said that if and when the need arises in the future, that court will be used by the other courts in the compound to facilitate this type of evidence-taking.
The amended Evidence Act allows for evidence to be taken by electronic media like Skype.
The PI continues on September 9.
