Magistrate dismisses credit card fraud case against Trinidadian

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Nathaniel Hamlet walked free of a fraud charge, yesterday, after Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh dismissed the case that had been dragging out in the court since September 2015.
The Trinidadian man was arrested and charged for larceny of a credit card, which was allegedly used to purchase a quantity of items from Paradise Boat Sales on Old Parham in September, 2015.
The magistrate dismissed the case after Hamlet’s lawyer, Jermaine Rhudd, made a “no case submission”, arguing that there was no evidence to support the allegation before the St John’s Magistrates’ Court.
Rhudd had argued that the charge was fabricated as part of a larger plot to connect his client to a countrywide ATM scam back in October, 2015 which had led to the arrest of three Jamaicans.
After the court’s ruling, the attorney told OBSERVER media that Hamlet “maintains his innocence and continues to fall victim of wrongful practices by a minority group in the police force. Every single charge laid against my client has been successfully defended but they just won’t stop”.
It is the second time fraud charges have been dismissed against the accused.
Rhudd, meanwhile, also spoke of an incident last week where Hamlet was allegedly confronted and physically assaulted by police — who were not in uniform — while at a party near Country Pond in St John’s.
Rhudd’s client said the officers were intoxicated. He said he was beaten in front of several witnesses and then taken to the St John’s
Police Station where he was again punched by a police officer.
The man said he was released without charges being laid after his lawyer intervened.
Rhudd has confirmed that a formal complaint has been lodged with the Police Complaints Unit and they’re awaiting the results of the internal investigation. Hamlet has another fraud case pending in the High Court.
This case has been pending since 2011 and the Trinidadian man said he’s eager to return to his family in his native land since he has not been able to travel since his arrest that year.

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