– Laughter filled a court in Limuru after an accused told the court that he wanted to marry the complainant who had filed a case against him. The accused was charged with the allegations of defiling and impregnating the complainant.

The court heard that George Ikua Waititu, 28 had accosted the then 16 year old girl at his home when she had visited his home to borrow a match stick. The girl who was then in secondary school had to drop out of school following the incident after falling pregnant.

After Waititu was arraigned in court he denied the allegations.

Appearing before Limuru Chief Magistrate Ann Ireri yesterday, Waititu changed his plea and told the court that he wanted to marry the complainant; he told the court that he could not have married the complainant then since she was not of age but since she is now 18 years of age he can marry her.

Ireri rejected his plea and told Waititu that he was late in making his plea. The sentencing of the case was set for a later date.

BLESSED be Jehovah my rock,
Who teacheth my hands to war,
And my fingers to fight:
[2] My lovingkindness, and my fortress,
My high tower, and my deliverer;
My shield, and he in whom I take refuge;
Who subdueth my people under me.
[3] Jehovah, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that thou makest account of him?
[4] Man is like to vanity: 1
His days are as a shadow that passeth away.
[5] Bow thy heavens, O Jehovah, and come down:
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
[6] Cast forth lightning, and scatter them;
Send out thine arrows, and discomfit them.
[7] Stretch forth thy hand from above;
Rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters,
Out of the hand of aliens;
[8] Whose mouth speaketh deceit,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
[9] I will sing a new song unto thee, O God:
Upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
[10] Thou art he that giveth salvation unto kings;
Who rescueth David his servant from the hurtful sword.
[11] Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hand of aliens,
Whose mouth speaketh deceit,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

[12] When our sons shall be as plants grown up in their youth,
And our daughters as cornerstones hewn after the fashion of a palace;
[13] When our garners are full, affording all manner of store,
And our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
[14] When our oxen are well laden;
When there is no breaking in, and no going 2 forth,
And no outcry in our streets:
[15] Happy is the people that is in such a case;
Yea, happy is the people whose God is Jehovah.

Break for Buju – Artiste granted evidentiary hearing by Florida court
BY KARYL WALKER Editor – Crime/Court Desk [email protected]
Saturday, November 24, 2012

IMPRISONED reggae artiste Buju Banton has been granted an evidentiary hearing by United States Magistrate James Moody.
The artiste will be taken before the US Sam Gibbons Court in Tampa, Florida, on December 20 for the court to look into whether an admission by female juror Terri Wright to a Floridabased media house that she violated federal regulations constituted a breach of his rights.
BANTON… serving a 10-year sentence
1/1
Wright confessed that she researched aspects of the case over the Internet, during the trial, to have a better grasp of the issues when deliberations begun. She said she had secretly researched the Pinkerton Law, which was used by the prosecution to connect Banton to an illegal firearm that was found in the possession of a co-conspirator James Mack during a cocaine transaction in a police-controlled warehouse in Tampa.
Along with Wright, three other jurors will appear before the court at that hearing.
Banton was given a 10-year sentence for drug-related charges and missed being slapped with an additional five years on a gun conviction recommended by an Appellate Court due to two motions filed by his newly appointed legal team that he should be granted a new trial.
The first motion was for the judge to reconsider his prior sentence and reduce it. The second motion was for a new trial based on jury misconduct.
Yesterday, lead attorney Chokwe Lumumba told the Jamaica Observer that the ruling was a fillip to his client’s case. “It means we can demonstrate that the juror was guilty of misconduct and they should grant a mistrial,” Lumumba said.
Banton has endured two trials since his arrest in December 2009 at his Tamarac home in South Florida.
The first trial ended in a mistrial after a 12-member jury could not decide his guilt or innocence after hours of deliberation. The second trial came months after, in February 2011, and the artiste, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, was found guilty.
If the court rules in his favour it could mean he could be tried three times for the same offence in light of the fact that his legal team are the ones requesting a retrial.
Banton has reportedly forked out about US$1 million in legal fees for the first two trials and Lumumba said an argument could be raised that it would be unfair to try him for a third time in light of the fact that his resources have been severely depleted.
“If the judge orders a retrial, we could make the argument that it is oppressive to Buju to try him three times. It is the judge’s call, but he has used considerable resources in the first two trials,” he said.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Break-for-Buju#ixzz2DAYscgkt