ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) – Five police officers, including a woman, have been charged with murder, eight months after the body of a prisoner was found in a cell at a police station in Portsmouth, north of here.

Members of the general public, including the relatives of the dead man, and members of the media were prevented from entering the Court building where sergeant Hayden Morgan, Orlan Vigille, Delvin Challenger, Martin Seaman, and Woman police officer Gemma Louis, appeared before Chief Magistrate Candia Carette George.

The five officers were detained after an autopsy was done on the body of Joshua Etienne, who had been arrested on August 4, last year for the alleged possession of ammunition. Etienne’s body was found in his cell on August 5.

Following their arrest in August last year, the defence had argued that the charges were unlawful and irregular and as a result they should not be read to the accused.

But following months of legal wrangling, the judicial was discontinued on Wednesday and the charges read out to the accused Friday.

The matter has been adjourned to June 9 but the lawyers have indicated they intend to file an application for bail on behalf of their clients.