Ex-cop charged with murder granted $1 million bail
Published:Tuesday | January 17, 2023 | 6:28 PM
A former policeman who is charged with murder arising from an incident in 2013 in Glendevon, St James was today granted bail.
Romone Edwards was offered bail in the sum of $1 million with surety and is to appear in the St James Parish Court on Friday.
The application was made in chambers at the Supreme Court in Kingston.
It is being alleged that Edwards, who was a member of a joint police-military operation in October 2013, shot and killed Tasane Christie who ran into a house when he saw the party approaching.
Attorney-at-law Hugh Wildman, in making the bail application, said his client had given a detailed report that the deceased fired at him when he went into the house and he fired in self defence.
Wildman referred to the ballistics report which stated that the firearm retrieved from the deceased was recently fired and there was an elevated trace of gunpowder residue on the deceased's hand.
He argued that the prosecution cannot negate self defence.
He told the court that Edwards' life was in danger while in custody pointing out that blast week he had to be taken to hospital because he was badly beaten by other prisoners.
Wildman further told the court that the accused fled to Canada after the incident because of death threats.
He was interviewed in Canada by officers of the Independent Commission of Investigations.
The Director of Public Prosecutions ruled in September last year that Edwards should be charged.
Edwards returned to Jamaica on December 30 and was arrested and charged.
A bail application was made in the St James Parish Court last week Friday but bail was denied on the basis that Edwards was a flight risk so Wildman applied to the Supreme Court for bail.
Justice Andrea Pettigrew-Collins heard the application today and granted bail.
- Barbara Gayle
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