Andre Ruddock, who has confessed to committing murder during a ritual at Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries in 2021, was denied bail on Monday due to the belief that he could become a homicide victim if he is released from custody.

Additionally, Supreme Court Judge Vinnette Graham-Allen cited the possibility of him not showing up for trial, based on the seriousness of the allegations against him.

Ruddock is accused of murdering Taneka Gardener on October 17, 2021 during a ritual at the church in St James. He allegedly cut Gardner’s throat.

“The accused must be kept in custody for his own protection. The bail application is, therefore, denied,” Justice Graham-Allen said.

“This is a very celebrated case in Jamaica, not just in Montego Bay. The accused sees what is staring him in the face. He sees the seriousness of the case. I must be satisfied that he will return to face this court. I am not so satisfied. This court cannot find any conditions to put in place that he will return for trial. I am concerned about his safety,” Graham-Allen added.

The judge said that while bail is seen as a right, it is not absolute, pointing out that the accused played two seminal roles at the church.

Graham-Allen highlighted that Ruddock had cared for animals at the church but is alleged to have asked a witness if he wasn’t planning on carrying out the instruction of the religious sect’s leader Pastor Kevin Smith during the ritual.

“The witness said no. The accused walked off to where the deceased was. When he approached, she held her head down and he slit her throat. He confessed that he did it. The accused was apprehended by the police and placed before the courts. One person didn’t do it and he took it upon himself to do it,” she said.

Before the judge’s decision, the prosecution indicated that it opposed bail.

“I urge on you that this candidate is unfit and should not be granted bail,” the prosecutor argued.

“We are opposing the bail application based on the strength of the evidence of his having committed the offence. It was on the 18th of October 2021 when the accused man said, ‘I just murdered Miss Gardener. I am guilty of it. I have to take responsibility.’ I now move to the nature and seriousness of the offence, where he could have taken a knife and slit the throat of another human being. I want to rely on the expert report of Doctor Sewell who indicated that this is a man of sound mind. There was no sign of a mental disorder,” the prosecutor argued. “Without any hesitation, he slashed the throat of a female. The intelligence received from the investigating officer is that the relatives of the deceased are upset about the manner in which the deceased was slaughtered and have vowed to kill Mr Ruddock should he be released on bail.”

Ruddock’s attorney, Anthony Williams, argued that his client has no previous convictions or arrests and insisted that he was a fit candidate for bail.

He said that Pastor Smith had enormous influence on his congregation, pointing out that even Gardener had allegedly agreed that her throat was to be slashed in order for her blood to be cleansed.

“The deceased volunteered to Dr Smith for her life to be taken. I am not saying she was right with what she did. This is not a case where Mr Ruddock wantonly went and cut her throat. Mr Ruddock told the doctor about the influence that Dr Smith had on him. He said he was given something to drink and eat and the next thing he knew was that he woke up in lock-up. He also spoke to demons. The primary focus is whether or not Mr Ruddock will turn up for trial if granted bail. The prosecution spoke to threats, which I find rather abhorrent. We would think that the police would use their powers to find the people who made the threats,” the lawyer argued.

Eight days after the deadly ritual, Smith died in a motor vehicle crash on the Linstead bypass in St Catherine while being transported from Montego Bay to Kingston to be charged with two counts of murder, two counts of wounding with intent, and illegal possession of a firearm.