Magistrate Halts Chang’s Plea, Orders Psychiatric Evaluation

A damage to property charge against twenty-five-year-old Ashema Chang was put on hold this week after the Chief Magistrate determined that she was not fit to enter a plea and ordered that she undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Chang, who appeared confused during her arraignment on Tuesday and reportedly identified herself by a different name, was granted bail of three hundred dollars plus one surety, with the matter adjourned until November thirteenth. The Chief Magistrate ordered that Chang’s family provide information on her medical history and ensure she receives a psychiatric assessment before the case proceeds. The charge stems from an ongoing police investigation into a fire that destroyed a Belama Phase Five home earlier this month, causing an estimated forty-five thousand dollars in damage. Homeowner, Eugene Thompson, who had been ordered by the court to vacate his house for fifteen days prior to the incident, remains frustrated.

 

Eugene Thompson, Fire Victim

“She been normal, normal, normal. Everything starts since me and she’s just start go through this thing ya. And through the text ney weh she send da like somebody weh real sane. And we lived together like for six months and she never really got ney kinda way. Call it like no crazy signs, nothing. So if she to the point where she can’t remember she name, something wrong with that. You check me? You never reach that point in your life, and it weird because, like, you could put on a real show for people. Well, the way I see it from the time ney she this young lady unfit, cause da dat ney di try seh. She unfit for trial, to justice, I se no hope. Like because like people believe anything weh ney see. No go by the truth none at all. Up to now nobody no come to me, nobody no come try investigate the crime, not at all. All them do da focus ‘pon she. No police come to me fi investigate, ask me nothing about she, nothing. And that show me no hopes or nothing..”

 

Thompson alleges Ashema Chang threatened to burn down his home before a fire destroyed it. Police later charged her with threatening property damage.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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