Four airport employees’ cocaine trial set back to October 19
Published:Wednesday | October 12, 2022 | 12:09 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE HIGHLY anticipated drug trial of four employees of the Sangster International Airport, who allegedly attempted to smuggle 11.4 kilogrammes of cocaine onto a flight destined for Canada last October, was on Tuesday pushed back to October 19 due to the absence of several prosecution witnesses.
Indra Waite, Brelanie Reid, Tavon Murray, and Romaine Kerr had been scheduled to begin their trial in the St James Parish Court in relation to several charges, including breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act. Tuesday was the first established date for the quartet’s trial.
However, when the case was called up before presiding Parish Judge Sasha Ashley, the court was told that three of the prosecution’s witnesses, including the investigating officer, were engaged in an onging trial in the St Thomas Parish Court.
That revelation did not sit well with Reid’s lawyer, Martyn Thomas, who complained that the defendants have been inconvenienced in getting their case heard as a result of the trial’s delay.
“This case is fraught with challenges, and if the prosecution puts up its case, where do we go? The defendants have been doing everything they are to do. They have been coming to court, and this case is not moving forward,” said Thomas.
LACK OF DISCLOSURE
Meanwhile, Murray’s lawyer, Michael Hemmings, took issue with the lack of disclosure of several outstanding documents from the prosecution, despite that disclosure having been promised since March this year.
“When we came to court previously, the statements had not been supplied, and now we are here for trial and the Crown has still not given us the disclosure that was promised from seven months ago. They cannot prove the case against our clients, as the ingredients are not there,” Hemmings argued.
Judge Ashley subsequently rescheduled the hearing to October 19 and extended the four defendants’ bails to that date, while urging the prosecution to determine whether a case can be established against the defendants.
“You are going to re-examine the case and determine as a matter of law if you can establish a case against each defendant, and where you cannot, then you do the right thing,” Judge Ashley told the prosecutor as she extended the defendants’ bails.
The allegations are that on October 10, 2021, the four defendants were servicing a Sun Wing flight that was scheduled to depart from the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay to the Toronto Pearson Airport in Canada. They reportedly conspired and placed a bag with 11.4 kilogrammes of cocaine, valued at US$570,000 (J$88.1 million) on board the aircraft.
The cocaine was intercepted at the airport in Canada and one person was arrested in relation to the seizure. Following investigations, which involved the input of Jamaica’s Narcotics Division, the four accused, who are all of St James addresses, were arrested and charged.
Waite, a 43-year-old security supervisor, is charged with conspiracy to export cocaine, possession of criminal property, and aiding and abetting. Reid, a 23-year-old aviation security officer, is charged with breaching the Civil Aviation Act and conspiracy to export cocaine.
Murray, a 28-year-old ramp attendant, is charged with conspiracy to export cocaine, while Kerr, a 35-year-old ramp attendant, is charged with possession of, dealing in, and exporting cocaine.
In addition to Reid being represented by attorney Thomas and Murray being represented by attorney Hemmings, Waite is represented by Henry McCurdy, while Kerr is represented by attorney Charles Sinclair.