Hatian national, Roselin Pierre, requested CCT footage of the alleged incident be brought to her trial when she appeared before the Magistrate's Court yesterday, December 11, 2012. Photo: VINO/File

When the matter came up for hearing, Senior Crown Counsel Sarah Benjamin told the court that the prosecution was ready to proceed with the trial since disclosure was already made on the defendant and one of the three witnesses set to testify in the trial was present in the courtroom and ready to give evidence.

The unrepresented Pierre, who works as a security officer, interjected the proceedings and said that she needed an interpreter since her “English was not so good”. She explained that her native tongue is French creole.

Pierre is accused of slapping the Virtual Complainant (VC) while working at the Elmore Stoutt High School sometime in February 2012.

During the proceedings, Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards noted that there was mention in the file that CCT footage remained outstanding for the prosecution but the defendant disputed this, claiming that she had a copy of the footage on her jump drive while expressing that footage of the incident could be obtained from her supervisor at work. “There were cameras everywhere,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ms Benjamin upon hearing the defendant’s request for an interpreter said that she found the request strange as she related that the defendant pleaded not guilty in September to the charge and was asked whether she needed an interpreter at the time and responded that this was unnecessary. The prosecutor said this was the first time she was hearing of the request.

Magistrate Richards said the defendant was not pleaded before her and that this was the first time she had seen the woman in her life. “She has a French accent, so if she says that her English isn’t the best, we need to take her word for it.” The Magistrate then suggested that the woman might have since felt that her English was not sufficient to answer the charges after she was served with documents for the trial. The defendant also requested translated versions of the documents given as disclosure while stating that she had witnesses to bring in her defence as well.

The matter comes up again for report on February 27, 2013.