Alleged Victim Didn’t show up in Court

Early this year, Joseph Budna came to the media with a horrific story of how he was abducted in his own vehicle and robbed by a man he had offered a free ride to. But since the case started before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith in October, Budna has been a no show in court on numerous occasions. Wednesday, the accused robber, Troy Cole, was taken before the court, but once again, Budna failed to show up to testify. As a result, a charge of robbery against Cole was dismissed and he was free to go. On January twenty-ninth of this year, Budna alleged that he was simply being a Good Samaritan when he met Cole at a gas station and he needed a ride. But Budna says Cole asked him to pick up another man at George Street and then went further, asking to borrow the vehicle. He claims that when he refused, a gun was placed at his head and the two men commandeered his vehicle. According to Budna, he managed to escape when police officers pulled up behind them, but the robbers took off with the vehicle, which was later abandoned. Cole was charged two days later, but the second suspect was never arrested.