Fri | Mar 29, 2024

Uchence Gang Trial | Attorney says witness lied in court

Published:Thursday | March 14, 2019 | 12:00 AM

Lloyd McFarlane, the attorney representing reputed gang leader Uchence Wilson, yesterday suggested that the Crown witness, who has been testifying since last week, lied when he said that his client was the leader and member of a criminal organisation that carried out robberies across eastern parishes.

During cross-examination in the trial of Wilson and his 23 alleged cronies at the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston, the attorney suggested that Wilson was not a gang leader.

The witness, who is said to be a former member of the gang, said that Wilson was the leader because “him beat up Fitzroy Scott and buss shot over him head”.

It was also suggested that the witness misled the court when he said that Wilson was armed when they went on the numerous robberies he described.

The witness responded: “First things first. There is no robbery that Terrence (Uchence) is going to go without a firearm.”

The attorney also took issue with differences between testimony the witness gave in court and statements given to the police.

Beginning with the robbery of the witness’ female relative in St Ann, McFarlane asserted that when the witness gave evidence in court, he initially stated that he, along with Fitzroy Scott, Stephenson ‘Slim’ Bennett, and Michael ‘Judge’ Lamont, walked a couple of miles through bushes before arriving at the house.

The attorney suggested to the witness that he only added Wilson’s name after he was asked a direct question about his client’s whereabouts by the senior deputy director of public prosecutions who led examination-in-chief.

“No, sir, I did not,” the witness said in disagreement.

McFarlane further suggested that he was lying when he said that Wilson was present at the robbery.

“I would not say that was a lie, sir. I go on robbery with them every night,” the former gang member said.

The attorney also posed questions relating to a robbery that the witness said took place in Kellits, Clarendon.

McFarlane asked, “Do you agree with me that when you were asked that you didn’t call Terrence’s (Uchence) name?”

The witness responded, “I think I did call his name ‘cause he was there.”

In court, the witness said that he and other gang members waited in bushes nearby the house for the owner to arrive.

He further stated that when the owner arrived, Wilson and Lamont held the man at gunpoint and subsequently gained entry to the house by kicking down the door.

The former gang member, however, agreed with the attorney that he told police in a previous statement that the owner was already outside his house when they got there.

Earlier in the proceedings, McFarlane asked the witness, “Do you agree that you are an unscrupulous person?”

“I don’t know the meaning of that word,” the witness said, evoking laughter from those present in the court room.

The attorney continued, “It means you would rob your own mother if you got the chance,” but he was interjected by presiding judge Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, who called for a break.

Wilson and his 23 alleged cronies, which include four women and a policeman, are on trial for breaches of the anti-gang legislation for crimes allegedly committed between 2015 and 2017.