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Pawn shop operator to continue testimony

Published:Wednesday | April 10, 2019 | 12:23 AMNickoy Wilson/Gleaner Writer

An executive of a popular pawn company yesterday said that transaction information collected at each of its five locations across the island is not stored in a central database, as she testified at the trial of reputed gang leader Uchence Wilson and 23 other accused at the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston.

In previous testimony, the Crown’s first witness, who claimed to be a former member of the Uchence Wilson Gang, rejected assertions that he visited other locations of the pawn shop.

He maintained that he only visited the Cross Roads branch of the store despite being shown a document with a list of transactions said to be carried out by him at other locations.

As she continued her testimony, the pawn store executive also said that procedure dictated that individuals have to prove ownership of items being traded using either a receipt or a letter from a justice of the peace.

FINGERPRINTS TAKEN

In addition, she said that after ownership is proven, fingerprints are taken and a contract is signed to complete the transaction.

She told the court that the store pawns any item of value – “from a pin to an anchor”.

“The only thing we don’t take is human beings, because we [would] have to feed them,” she said, as the courtroom erupted in laughter.

She will continue giving testimony today.

Meanwhile, the questioning of a representative from The Gleaner came to a halt as the prosecution was unable to admit into evidence documents related to ads it said were placed in the newspaper by one of the accused.

According to presiding judge Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, the documents had not satisfied the evidential standard.

It is alleged that one of the accused, who was not identified yesterday, placed an ad in the newspaper for the sale of a stolen item said to have been referred to in previous witness testimony.

The witness may again be called to take the stand at a later time.

Wilson and 23 alleged gang members are on trial for breaches of the anti-gang law.

nickoy.wilson@gleanerjm.com