Woman freed

The Crown today offered no evidence against housewife Franceta Edwards, 57 of Caanan Heights, Clarendon who was charged with illegal possession of firearm.



She was freed when she appeared before Acting Supreme Court Judge Bertram Morrison in the Gun Court.



Attorney-at-law Dwight Reece who represented Edwards had made several applications in the Gun Court for Edwards to be freed because there was no evidence to substantiate the charge against her.



Edwards and several other persons were on the way to the People\'s National Party (PNP) conference on July 8, 2007.



The police stopped the motorcar in which they were travelling in Ferry, St Catherine.



The police said, while searching the passengers, Edwards was found with a gun in her waist.



She told the police that on their approach, another passenger Jeremiah Heath had put the gun in her waist.



Edwards and Heath, of York Town, Clarendon were arrested and charged with illegal possession of firearm.



Edwards’ son, Seymour Smith who was travelling in the car gave a statement to the police in which he said that it was Heath who had given his mother the gun to keep.



Smith was subsequently shot and killed by gunmen while Edwards was shot and seriously injured while on bail.



Heath who was on bail has since absconded and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.