Magistrate’s Court cannot hear US extradition case – Defence Attorneys

2011 US murder

Attorneys Nigel Hughes, Darren Wade and Bernard DaSilva, representing fugitive Troy Thomas, stated at Monday’s extradition proceedings that their client could not be extradited.

Thomas explained to the Magistrate’s Court that it had no jurisdiction to hear the case and there were violations of his client’s rights to be protected as a Guyanese citizen.
Additionally, the string of lawyers requested that the matter be called at the High Court, where it could be well-addressed.
The oral submissions continued as Attorney Wade disputed that the extradition treaty between the United States of America (USA) and Guyana was ever introduced into local law, and therefore it would have no effect, alluding to several cases in the past.
On behalf of the USA, Stacy Gooding made her appearance and revealed that she would need some time to review the cases, since she was not presented with them before.
In light of these circumstances, the matter was adjourned until April 11 and was transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court, where Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus would continue to preside over the case.
Thomas, a Guyanese American, is wanted in New York in connection with the murder of Keith Frank in 2011. Frank was shot multiple times after a confrontation outside a nightclub. Thomas was recognised as the alleged murderer after which he moved to Guyana and has not since visited the USA. After receiving information that he was residing in Guyana, the USA had issued a warrant for him earlier this year.