$500,000 bail for lone female charged as part of Ranko Gang

THE LONE female alleged member of the Clarendon-based Ranko Gang, of those now before the Home Circuit Court, was on Friday offered $500,000 bail.

Jassett Brown, who is among 11 individuals, including four police personnel, charged with being part of a criminal organisation, was offered bail by Justice Leighton Pusey.

She was received bail on humanitarian grounds following an application by her attorney, Dwight Reece.

Brown is to return to court on July 21.

Attorneys for the respective defendants, excluding the alleged gang leader, Constable Tafari Silvera, all made their submissions for bail on Wednesday.

The ruling for the rest of the defendants was pushed to June 21 and June 22.

Among the other members of the gang before the court are police constables Daneilio Barnes, Rajay Morrison, and Tehneil Francis. Also charged are Tevin Henriques, David Henry, Ovilgo McKenzie, Nicholas Simpson, Cornel Clarke, and Mario Sukoo.

The defendants were all remanded.

Silvera was first arrested in June 2021 following allegations that he had hired two hitmen to murder a police informant from Clarendon.

He was subsequently charged in that matter with two civilians, Christopher Robinson and Mark Bennett. They are all facing charges of conspiracy to murder in a separate case.

The others were arrested last March after they were fingered as alleged members of the 27-member gang.

It was initially reported that eight policemen were involved in the gang and that one fled the island when Silvera was arrested last.

However, one of the lawmen was released after two complainants, who had filed reports that he had robbed them, refused to cooperate with prosecutors.

The Ranko Gang, which has been linked to 17 incidents, is alleged to have been involved in shootings, burglary, robbery with aggravation, illegal possession of firearm, shopbreaking, conspiracy to murder, and abduction.

The offences were allegedly carried out in Clarendon, Manchester, St Elizabeth, St Catherine, St Mary, Trelawny, Kingston, St Andrew, and St James between 2019 and 2021.