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A man who was charged with robbery with violence, firearm possession, and shooting with intent in a 2016 incident along Soogrim Trace, Chaguanas, which led to a shootout with police, was discharged after prosecutors failed to comply with a High Court scheduling order.

Master Delicia Bethelmy discharged Ron Marchan on November 21, which was supposed to be the start of the sufficiency hearing after defence attorney Bhimal Maharajh asked for the matter to be dismissed under the Criminal Procedure Rules, which allow for a discharge for non-compliance.

In February, Bethelmy had ordered police to submit the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) by March 19, with the filing of an indictment, witness statements and other documentary evidence due on June 27 and defence responses by July 25. Submissions were to follow in October, ahead of the sufficiency hearing. At the November 21 hearing, Maharajh argued that the State’s failure to meet the deadlines was “unfair and unjust” to the accused.