JAMAICA – A 63-year-old ex-convict shocked persons in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Monday when he revealed that he was sentenced 20 times for removing dead bodies from a cemetery.
The accused, Donovan Butler, also told the court that he had just finished serving a three-year prison sentence in April on the charge.
Butler made the revelation when he appeared in court on Monday on allegations of larceny by trickery.
He has been remanded until June 15.
The court heard that on July 9, 2019, the accused told the complainant that he was robbed of his motor car and his licensed firearm and needed help to go to the police station.
The complainant agreed to assist but while on the journey, Butler reportedly told him not to bother to take him to the police station and instead borrowed $7,000.
He then disappeared.
On April 4, the complainant spotted him and summoned the police who arrested Butler and charged him with larceny by trickery.
On Monday, as soon as Butler walked into the prisoner’s dock, he was recognised by Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque.
“You come before me already, didn’t you?” she asked.
“Yes, some time ago,” Butler responded.
She then asked him how many previous convictions he had.
“Twenty ma’am,” he replied.
When she asked for what type of offences, Butler said, “For removing a corpse from the cemetery.”
“And what else?” the judge further asked.
“That’s its ma’am,” he said while explaining that he had pleaded guilty 20 times to removing the dead bodies.
During further dialogue with the judge, he told her that she was the one who had sentenced him to prison on the last occasion.
Meanwhile in relation to the case of larceny by trickery, Butler told the judge that he was in prison at the time the offence is said to have taken place.
The complainant was not in court and so Butler was remanded and a mention date of June 15 set while efforts are made to find the complainant.
