Thursday court date for cop, three accused in murder-for-hire plot

A district constable and three alleged hit men implicated in a murder-for-hire plot which had targeted three women in St James are scheduled to appear in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Thursday. 

It is reported that a green card holder who lives in the United States had paid the men $400,000 to execute the women.

Three of the accused were arrested and charged last December when the police, acting on information, intercepted a motorcar in Kingston and thwarted the planned execution. 

When the matter was mentioned today, only Adrian Graham and Shavoy Bailey were brought before the court, while Senior Parish Judge Lori- Anne Cole Montague was informed that the police were unable to ascertain why the other two accused, District Constable Andre Wright and Cavane Green, were not taken to court. 

The clerk of the court further told the judge that since the matter was first mentioned, one or two of the accused had never been taken before the court. 

The judge, while noting that that was concerning, then queried where they were being kept and on learning that it was at the Central Police Station, asked “isn't that where the prisoners are escaping?" 

She further noted that the police should ensure that there is some proper form of management taking place, as the prisoners ought to be taken to court on their court dates. 

The matter was subsequently rescheduled for Thursday for all of the accused to be present, while Graham and Bailey were further remanded. 

The police, acting on intelligence, on December 23 of last year went to premises in Constant Spring, St Andrew with a search warrant where they found an assortment of guns and ammunition, including an American tactical hybrid rifle along with thirty 5.56-calibre rounds and several police items such as ballistic vests, police uniform shirts and pants and handcuffs. 

The police, on the same day, went to a fast-food restaurant along Washington Boulevard in St Andrew where they intercepted a Toyota Yaris motor car with the district constable, Bailey and Graham.

The lawman was reportedly found in possession of a loaded Glock 26 pistol with 11 cartridges. 

It is alleged that Wright had told the police that it was a licensed firearm but checks revealed that was not true. 

The police team also went to premises in Duhaney Park, also in St Andrew, where they reportedly found items belonging to the Jamaica Defence Force. Green was reportedly arrested at that location. 

All four accused were taken into custody and later charged with conspiracy to murder. 

The police had seized Wright's phone and an analysis of it reportedly revealed conversations between him and the contractor. 

At the time of the men's arrest, Bailey, who had reportedly given the police a false name, was allegedly on the run in relation to a 2017 murder. 

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