The self-confessed gangster-turned-prosecution witness today testified that alleged gang leader Andre ‘Blackman’ Bryan had ordered a member of the gang to carry out an execution because he did not trust him.
The gangster was shot and killed during a confrontation with the police.
The witness testified that Bryan had given him the instruction via phone.
“The phone was on speaker when he was giving the instruction who him wah fi do the shooting and him say him wah Razeem to do it because him nuh trust him,” he said.
According to the witness, defendant Jahzeal ‘Squeeze Eye’ Blake had driven the getaway car and had travelled with defendant Fabian ‘Crocs’ Johnson and now-deceased members Razeem and Suss.
Both Razeem and Suss were killed during an alleged confrontation with police on January 25, 2019 following a car chase.
A police witness had testified that he had been tipped off by the prosecution witness about the planned execution and that a police team had been dispatched to foil the murder.
According to the witness, he and defendant Stephanie Christie had travelled to Spanish Town in St Catherine and had parked nearby an area called ‘Borderline’ where the shooting was to be done.
Christie was heard in the recording saying, “Wah ah gwaan, [expletive] dem a run”.
The witness, when asked what Christie was talking about, explained that she made the remark after they heard gunshots.
He also explained that from where they were parked, they could see the car that their alleged cronies were using to do the shooting.
However, the witness did not say whether the target was killed as his evidence in relation to that incident was aborted after Chief Justice Bryan Sykes questioned its relevance given that the incident is not on the indictment.
The prosecutor, however, explained that the recording was being played to establish the credibility of the prosecution and police witnesses whose voices were also heard in the recording.
During the playing of another recording, Sykes again interjected and enquired about its relevance and duration while underscoring that he is not pleased with the way in which the evidence has been marshalled.
“For future trials, this will not be happening. The evidence has to be more detailed so that the tribunal can know what is connected to what.
“With no clear direction, the volume of evidence being presented consumes a lot of time,” he said.
The prosecutor, however, explained that the recording connects to a double murder and arson incident on the indictment.
“This very general opening is not happening again, this is my solemn promise,” said Sykes.
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