"These Are Holding Charges", Claims Police Acted Before Full Investigation : Defence Attorney Dr. Dexter Todd Slams 72 Murder Charges in M.V. Barima Disaster

What this source establishes

States the three accused were charged with "72 counts of murder" — the first HGPTV statement of a count. The article does NOT explain how the 72 counts are distributed among the three accused or what each corresponds to. Dr Dexter Todd is identified as representing Captain Kevin Price, Chief Mate Rondell Roberts and Goods Superintendent Delon Granderson. Todd: "How can you charge men with murder based on overloading when you do not even have an accurate calculation of the cargo weight or a completed manifest?"

Key claims

• States the three accused were charged with "72 counts of murder" — the first HGPTV statement of a count. The article does NOT explain how the 72 counts are distributed among the three accused or what each corresponds to.
• Dr Dexter Todd is identified as representing Captain Kevin Price, Chief Mate Rondell Roberts and Goods Superintendent Delon Granderson.
• Todd: "How can you charge men with murder based on overloading when you do not even have an accurate calculation of the cargo weight or a completed manifest?"
• Todd: "These are holding charges. The police have rushed to lay indictments before assembling all the necessary evidence, and in doing so, they risk compromising the work of the very Commission of Inquiry meant to uncover the truth."
• Todd argues the state "moved precipitously to institute capital charges before a comprehensive technical investigation—or the promised international Commission of Inquiry (COI)—had even begun to hear evidence."
• Todd warns of sub judice constraints: with the men facing "capital trials," their ability to testify before the COI chaired by Justice Godfrey Smith "may be severely restricted under legal privilege against self-incrimination."
• Confirms the men "remain remanded to prison awaiting their next court date at the Charity Magistrate's Court on August 3, 2026."

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