Attorney for alleged Ranko Gang cop demands he's speedily charged or released

The attorney for one of the policemen linked to the Clarendon-based Ranko Gang wants the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court to intervene so that his client is speedily charged or released. 

Defence attorney Vincent Wellesley, who is representing the detainee, this morning filed a habeas corpus application.

Wellesley's client is one of four cops arrested on Friday.

One has since been released as the witnesses have refused to further cooperate.

READ: Case crumbles against accused gangster cop

The attorney complained that an identification parade has not yet been scheduled for his client although one had been set for his colleague, said to be a relative of a senior officer.

The court was, however, informed by a Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Division liaison officer that the identification parade for Wellesley's client should have been conducted yesterday. 

While apologising for the delay, the liaison officer indicated that no identification parade was conducted for any of the other suspects. 

At the same time, he informed the court that he was unable to say the new date for the ID parade for Wellesley's client. 

As a result, the matter was set for Thursday for the court to be notified whether an identification parade was conducted. 

Last Friday, four policemen alleged to be members of the Clarendon-based gang were arrested. 

The four policemen arrested on Friday are among eight linked to the 27-member gang which is reportedly led by Constable Tafari Silvera. 

Silvera and two civilians, Christopher Robinson and Mark Bennett, are all currently before the Home Circuit Court on charges of conspiracy to murder.

They were arrested last June in relation to a plot to kill an alleged member of the gang, accused of being a police informer. 

Another cop is said to have fled the island at that time and is being sought. 

The Ranko Gang, which has been fingered in 17 incidents, is alleged to have carried out shootings, burglary, robbery with aggravation, illegal possession of a firearm, shop-breaking, conspiracy to murder and abductions in Clarendon, Manchester, St Elizabeth, St Catherine, St Mary, Trelawny, Kingston, St Andrew, and St James between 2019 and 2021. 

Police involvement was identified in a string of gang-related robberies in 2019.

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