Yesterday a group of murder accused nearly rioted at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court on learning that their nearly completed matters may have to re-start.

Some of the accused have spent over 5 years awaiting adjudication.

3 of the men, Nigel “Dufu” Mayers, Miguel Roberts and Nick “Skinnies” Noriega, were forcibly removed from the holding cell of the Port-of-Spain 8^th Court after they began cursing.

The trio, who are charged with murdering a shopkeeper at her parlour 7 years ago, never stood before acting Chief Magistrate Maria Busby-Earle Caddle to be told that their matter would have to re-start.

Reports say after being taken into a holding cell by court and process branch officers and being freed of their handcuffs, the men became agitated and started shouting expletives.

It is said while the men were being escorted out the courtroom, their relatives, mostly women, began crying.

The suspects were taken down to the courthouse holding cell, where they continued shouting and cursing.

This resulted in the officers refusing to take other prisoners to the court and forcing the Magistrate to leave the courtroom until all was settled.

Instead of waiting for the completion of all court matters at the end of the day, officers decided to take Mr. Mayers and his co-accused, along with others, back to prison.

Reports say some of the accused began rocking the transport bus and shouting freedom.

The swaying bus could be seen by members of the public on St. Vincent Street and from the corridors of the courthouse.

Officers at the courthouse said they understood the men’s frustration and so did not charge anyone although there were clear violations of the law.

The remaining inmates in the holding cell also refused to go before the acting Chief Magistrate and opted instead to return to the prison.