Court acquits St James mechanic of gun offences
Published:Tuesday | February 17, 2026 | 7:36 PM
A 30-year-old mechanic from St James was freed of charges of illegal possession of a firearm and ten rounds of ammunition on Tuesday.
Okeito Hibbert had been accused of being seen along a roadway in the Mona Commons community of St Andrew on the night of September 14, 2024, attempting to dispose of a firearm that was reportedly in his waistband as police officers approached.
During his trial in the Gun Court, Hibbert denied the allegation.
He asserted through his attorneys, King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie and Patrice Riley, that while a gun and ammunition were found, they had been discovered underneath a car where a group of men had congregated.
Hibbert admitted to being in control of the vehicle but claimed that the police officer who confronted him was intoxicated and not truthful.
Only one police officer testified during the trial.
Under cross-examination by Champagnie, it was revealed that the firearm and ammunition had been tested for DNA, and samples had been taken from Hibbert. The results did not link him to either the firearm or the ammunition.
In acquitting Hibbert, the trial judge noted that only one of the several police officers involved in the incident gave evidence before the court.
Hibbert’s attorneys closed the defence’s case without calling any witnesses.
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