St Catherine businessman on gun charge denied bail

Forty-eight-year-old businessman Kevin Bent, charged with gun possession, was today denied bail in the St Catherine Parish Court.

Bent, who was charged following the seizure of a gun during a traffic stop in Old Harbour, was remanded to appear before the Gun Court on April 9.

Attorney-at-Law Donahue Martin, in applying for bail, argued that his client denies the charges, is not a flight risk, and suffers from diabetes and needs a proper diet and care.

He further argued that the businessman, a resident of Old Harbour Bay, lives within walking distance of the Old Harbour Bay Police Station. 

In objecting bail, the police told the court that Bent was allegedly a major player in the gun-for-drug trade between Haiti and Jamaica and that he was a flight risk.

The bail application was denied by Senior Parish Court Judge Desiree Alleyne.

Allegations are that on March 1, the police were on an operation along Darlington Drive in Old Harbour, St Catherine when a Honda CRV Sports Utility Vehicle driven by the accused was stopped.

During a search of the vehicle, a bag that was on the front passenger seat was seen.

It was searched and a nine-millimetre pistol with a magazine containing 10 rounds of ammunition was discovered. 

When he was held, the accused allegedly told the police "Don't loud up di ting, not everyone know that mi have licence gun."

He was then escorted to his home to provide documentation for the weapon, where he allegedly revealed he was not a licensed firearm holder.

Bent allegedly told the police "Do a ting and mi gi yuh a million dollar".

He was arrested and subsequently charged.

- Rasbert Turner

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