A policeman is among three men who were freed of the 2016 murder of a police corporal in the Home Circuit Court on Monday.
Police Constable Gladstone Williams, Jessie Anderson and Rohan Smith have been in custody for over 10 years awaiting trial.
Robian Williams reports.
The men were charged with murder, conspiracy to murder, solicitation to murder, illegal possession of a firearm, and shooting with intent in connection with the April 2016 murder of Corporal Judith Williams.
When the matter was called up in court on Monday, the prosecutor submitted that the Director of Public Prosecutions had entered a nolle prosequi, discontinuing the case.
A nolle prosequi is a legal notice of record that the prosecutor or plaintiff has decided to abandon the prosecution or lawsuit.
The resumption of the matter is contingent on witnesses being located.
Reacting to the latest development, King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie, who represented Constable Gladstone Williams, says a decision in the matter was long overdue.
The case has been plagued with delays, including empanelling a jury and the shortage of courtrooms.
KC Champagnie says the matter demonstrates, yet again, that there are limited resources in the justice system.
The allegations are that Constable Williams conspired to have his fellow colleague killed as a result of a dispute that they had in court concerning a civil matter.
Corporal Williams reportedly took Constable Williams to court over a car she gave him to repair, which he sold without permission.
Corporal Williams was fatally shot on April 28, 2016, at a bus stop on Braes Street in Dunkirk, East Kingston.
King’s Counsel Champagnie says though his client professed his innocence from inception, the civil matter may have fuelled the investigators to want to provide a motive.
Jessie Anderson and Rohan Smith were represented by attorneys Leroy Equiano and CJ Mitchell respectively.
