Clansman Gang Trial | Gang torched branches of loan company over extortion dispute, witness testifies

A former member of the One Don Gang today testified that the gang had allegedly torched three branches of a loan company in St Catherine because the owner ignored demands to pay extortion money.

The branches were in Spanish Town, Old Harbour and Linstead.

The witness, who admitted to participating in two of the attacks, told the Home Circuit Court that the gang allegedly orchestrated the plan after one of the members who were responsible for collecting extortion monies was having problems with getting payment from the company.

According to him, the alleged member suggested that the business be attacked.

"Dem say [redacted] nah cooperate and dem affi burn down the building, dem affi do something to get his attention," the witness testified.

Reputed leader Andre 'Blackman' Bryan, the court heard, in agreeing with the suggestion, allegedly said, " Him need him fi cooperate else him cah run no business ah Spanish Town."

Following that, the witness said he along with Bryan, the lone female defendant Stephanie Christie, and defendant Fabian Johnson and another alleged member 'Mckerel', now deceased, started planning the attack on the Spanish Town branch, which reportedly occurred in 2017.

The plan, he said, "Was to throw some gas on the building and burn it down."

According to the witness, before the alleged fire, another member scouted the area in the night to make sure that no cops were present before informing Blackman.

He said defendant Andre Golding, alias 'Raetae Blacks', and Ted Prince, otherwise called Mawga Man, both then gained entrance to the building, which was located at the Spanish Town bus park, and set it ablaze.

"They tell me that they break the glass in front of the building and go in there and throw gas on the table and the stuff and burn [it] down," he testified.

Bryan and 32 other alleged gang members are being tried on an indictment with 25 counts under the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organizations) Act and the Firearms Act, to which they have pleaded not guilty.

The offences with which they are charged include being part of a criminal organisation, illegal possession of firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, facilitating conspiracy to commit murder and facilitating arson.

They are being accused of being a part of the One Don Gang, which carried out a range of murders, conspiracies to commit murder, extortion and arson throughout St Catherine between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2019.

One Don Gang was reportedly established following a split of Clansman Gang amid an internal power struggle between the reputed leader of the Clansman Tesha Miller and Bryan, who was allegedly top lieutenant.

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