KINGSTON – A Kingston woman and her two daughters charged with the alleged knife-slaying of their neighbour following a dispute over obeah are scheduled to return to Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court on December 1 for a preliminary hearing.
Forty-year-old Stephanie Hall-Beckford of Elm Crescent in Kingston and her daughters Yanique Smith, 21; and 22-year-old Garfiesha Smith are charged with murder and conspiracy to murder in relation to the April 23 death of Tanesha Bottom.
The date for the preliminary hearing was set last Friday when the trio appeared before Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey, who also extended their bail.
Allegations are that, on the day in question, the accused were involved in a quarrel with Bottom and the police were summoned. During their mediation, Bottom reportedly went inside her house and returned with a bottle containing a liquid substance and a ratchet knife, but was disarmed by members of the police team.
Shortly afterwards, while the police were still present, it was reported that Garfiesha allegedly used a knife to stab Bottom in her chest. The injured woman was rushed to the Kingston Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
The court heard that Bottom, in a previous case, had accused Hall-Beckford and another woman of working obeah on her. She had told the court that the women had sprinkled white rum, chicken’s blood and white rice in her yard.
Hall-Beckford was charged with practising obeah while the other woman was charged with soliciting the practice of obeah. However, the charges against both women were later withdrawn. (Jamaica Observer)
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