Magistrate Gordon Gilhuys yesterday announced a one-week adjournment for the gun and ammunition charges trial of ex-soldier Oliver Hinckson.
The case was originally set for Thursday, but because the magistrate was presiding in Leguan, it was adjourned to yesterday.
When the matter was called in Court Two, Magistrate Gilhuys told Hinckson that he had set Thursday as the court date without realising he had to preside in Leguan. He said that because of this, his clerk made a decision to set the case for yesterday but he could not take any evidence because of the amount of court cases he has to deal with.
Pointing to the court dock, the magistrate said noted that he had five young men (Jermaine `Skinny’ Charles, ‘Nasty Man’, Dwight Da Silva and others – charged with high profile murders such as the 2006 Kaieteur News killings) who have matters before him along with two other PIs.
He said could not accommodate the Hinckson trial yesterday and set April 11 as the next date.
Magistrate Gilhuys then pleaded with the defence to be on time to ensure that some evidence could be taken. He also advised the prosecution to have Hinckson in court for 1 pm.
James Gibson, another ex-soldier is jointly charged with Hinckson but the magistrate recently decided to recall a warrant that was out for him and proceed ex-parte. Magistrate Gilhuys had issued a warrant for Gibson in January after he failed to appear in court. He has not been seen since.
It is alleged that on June 6, 2006 at Lot 115 Aubrey Barker Street, South Ruimveldt the duo had a .38 pistol, 12 .38 rounds and 26 12-gauge shotgun cartridges.
They made their first appearance in court on June 12, 2006, denied the allegations and were subsequently released on $75,000 bail each.
Two months before they were caught, the army issued wanted bulletins for them, following the disappearance of 30 AK-47 rifles and five pistols from GDF headquarters. They were then out of sight until police acting on a tip-off swooped on the South Ruimveldt house around 2 pm on June 6.
During the search of the premises, the illegal items were reportedly found. The two men were taken to army headquarters before being handed over to police.
The trial began two months later with the testimony of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) rank Cleveland Browne.
