Chief Magistrate Colin John has recused himself from all matters in which lawyer Jomo Thomas is involved, citing a Facebook post allegedly made by the defence counsel.
John made the announcement on Monday as Thomas was representing Okeeno Fergus, 35 of Lowmans Windward on a firearm charge.
Fergus was charged that on May 17, at Lowmans Windward, he had in his possession one Smith and Wesson M&P Shield 9mm pistol without a license issued under the Firearms Act.
He was also charged with having in his possession eight live rounds of 9 mm ammunition without a license issued under the Firearm Act.
Fegus pleaded not guilty to both charges when he was arraigned before John on May 18, wearing a white medical dressing on his forehead.
Fergus was granted EC$15,000 bail with one surety and the court also imposed reporting conditions and adjourned the matter to June 1.
The accused man was no longer wearing a medical dressing on his forehead when he reappeared in court on Monday.
With Fergus standing in the dock, the magistrate told the lawyer that he wished to recuse himself from the case in which Sebastian Audain aka Bush, 36, of Lowmans Bay and Alvin Cyrus, 36, of Largo Height, are charged with possession of 22.9 pounds of cocaine.
Thomas is also a defence counsel in that case.
The magistrate adjourned Fergus’ matter to the next day for hearing, also at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court.
On Tuesday, at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court, Senior Magistrate Tammika McKenzie asked Thomas why Fergus’ case was before her.
Thomas told the court that the chief magistrate had recused himself from all matters in which he was involved.
McKenzie adjourned the matter to February 2027
In 2022, a High Court Judge ordered the state and Corporal Mohammed Lavia to compensate Fergus after an incident at Owia in which Lavia shot Fergus in the leg.
Thomas also represented Fergus in that lawsuit.
