Clansman Gang Trial | Witness tells court he called off hit against ‘innocent’ man

The prosecution's star witness in the Clansman-One Don Gang trial today testified that he had called off a hit that was intended for a bus loader man in Spanish Town, St Catherine as he felt that he was innocent.

The witness, who is testifying via video link in the Home Circuit Court, said that the reputed leader of the One Don Gang Andre 'Blackman' Bryan had told him to call an alleged member of the gang to get the 'duppy truck'.

The witness previously told the court that this was a stolen Nissan Ad Wagon that the gang had bought for $50,000 and which was used whenever the gang was going to commit a murder or shooting.

In relating how he had called off the hit, the witness said after he dropped off two alleged members who were to do the shooting at the location at a gas station in Spanish Town, he saw the victim loading passengers into a bus.

He said he then called Blackman and told him that they were going to kill an innocent man and that he was going home.

When asked how he knew the man was innocent, the witness said "Gunman nuh load bus."

The court heard that the witness then called the men who were to do the shooting and told them to drive away the 'duppy truck', which was parked nearby, and left.

According to the witness, Blackman had not objected when he told him that he was calling off the hit.

However, the witness said he was later told by a man who goes by the alias 'Shrek' that the loader man had been killed.

The court was not told how he was killed and by whom.

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.

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