HANOVER, Jamaica — Omar Green, the construction worker charged with the murder and rape of nine-year-old Hanover student Nikita Noel, is booked to reappear in court on Thursday of this week. Green was the estranged partner of the child’s mother at the time of his alleged attack.

The mention date was set when the case against the 42-year-old accused man from Barbary Hill, Lucea was called up at the start of the Hilary term of the Hanover Circuit Court on Monday.

Green’s attorney, Albert Morgan told presiding Supreme Court Judge, Justice Courtney Daye that he is in the process of receiving full instructions from his client and the hope is to have this by Thursday.

Morgan also requested of the court a fitness to plead report on Green who remains in custody.

“He is remanded in custody until Thursday morning. Mr Green, you are to be back here on Thursday,” Justice Daye told him.

When Green last made an appearance in the Hanover Circuit Court on March 28, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) served notice that the death penalty would be sought against him.

READ: Man charged in Nikita Noel’s death returns to court March 28

At that time, the court had given a July 3 mention date for the file to be completed, a psychiatric evaluation report to be submitted, and disclosure to be made of all the material to the defence.

Nikita, a former Esher Primary School student whose family members fondly called Joanna, was killed on the afternoon of February 1, 2023. Earlier that morning the accused and the child’s mother allegedly had a domestic dispute.

Reports are that the nine-year-old travelled from school with her usual taxi driver before she and other passengers exited the cab at the usual spot, the foot of a dirt road leading up a hill that leads to where her family lives.

READ: ‘It’s dreadful, it hurts’ – Mother of 9-y-o Hanover schoolgirl devasted after losing only daughter

The child’s mother raised an alarm after she did not return home as scheduled and could not be found. Community members and the police launched a search and her body was found a few feet from the entrance to her home.

– Anthony Lewis