Witness rejects suggestions murdered businessman linked to undesirables
Published:Tuesday | March 17, 2026 | 12:11 AMAndre Williams/Staff Reporter
A relative of slain businessman William Christian took the witness stand on Monday in the ongoing Clansman Gang trial, identifying items belonging to the deceased and rejecting suggestions that the former Ministry of Transport employee was involved in questionable activities.
The evidence-in-chief surrounds count 19 of the 32-count indictment where Michael Wildman and Lamar Rowe are charged with the April 2020 murder of Christian.
Both men pleaded not guilty.
The witness told the court he saw Christian frequently and assisted him with aspects of his business operations.
He said Christian, who had been married but was divorced at the time of his death, operated legitimate ventures, including a wholesale business that was once located in Guys Hill, St Catherine, before being moved to Manchester, as well as farming operations involving pigs, goats, cows and chickens.
During examination by prosecutors, the witness was shown a photograph of a bag, which he identified as belonging to Christian.
He told the court that Christian usually kept the bag in his motor vehicle.
According to the witness, the bag usually contained bank cards, vehicle documents, and an extra magazine for a firearm.
The bag referenced in court was the same one a previous witness said he had removed from Christian’s vehicle when attempting to transport the injured man to hospital.
The witness also confirmed that he identified Christian’s body during the autopsy, which was conducted in St Catherine at Archer’s Funeral Home.
Questioned about a firearm, the witness said Christian owned a licensed weapon and that he had seen it before.
Under cross-examination from defence attorney Tameka Harris, who represents Rowe, he maintained that he knew the firearm was licensed because Christian possessed the relevant certificate.
“You ever see dat yet?” Harris quizzed.
“Yes, I have,” the witness said.
During further cross-examination by defence attorney Paul Gentles, who represents Wildman, the witness said he was not familiar with the location where Christian was killed and did not know where in Spanish Town Christian had his vehicle repaired.
Gentles also probed the witness about Christian’s associations and activities.
The witness rejected suggestions that Christian was connected to persons of undesirable character or that he engaged in unacceptable conduct while employed at the transport ministry.
He acknowledged that Christian and his wife had arguments in his presence, but said the disputes never turned physical.
He also denied ever hearing her threaten to kill Christian or to hire anyone to harm him.
The court later heard from another prosecution witness, a detective corporal who, at the time of the June 2020 incident, was working as a forensic crime scene investigator.
He told the court that on June 17, 2020, about 8 a.m., he received a package labelled as containing an expended bullet.
Under cross-examination by Harris, the officer said he had about seven years’ experience working in the Scenes of Crime Unit and had received specialised training, including instruction on maintaining the chain of custody of evidence.
The trial, which involves alleged gang leader Tesha Miller and 24 co-accused, continues today in the Home Circuit Court.