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Cop recounts arrests of gang members

Published:Saturday | May 4, 2019 | 12:00 AMNickoy Wilson/Gleaner Writer

The series of events leading up to the arrest of several alleged members of the Uchence Wilson Gang was yesterday recounted by a detective sergeant as he testified in the trial for the reputed gang leader and his 23 cronies at the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston.

The detective sergeant, attached to the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch (C-TOC), told the court that on May 12, 2017, he, along with other officers, went on an operation in Cross Roads, St Andrew, where they apprehended accused Fitzroy Scott.

The police testified that about 1 p.m., they arrived at the Cross Roads branch of the National Commercial Bank, where Scott was pointed out to him.

According to the cop, Scott was subsequently escorted to the C-TOC office, where he was informed that he was being arrested on suspicion of robbery and rape.

Scott is among a group of 24 people, which includes reputed gang leader Uchence Wilson, who are on trial for breaches of the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organisations) Act 2014, commonly referred to as the anti-gang legislation, for crimes allegedly committed between 2015 and 2017.

They are also being tried for breaches of the Firearms Act.

Two days later, on May 14, 2017, the detective sergeant said he and a team of police journeyed to an apartment in Bull Bay, St Andrew, where they arrested accused Derron Taylor.

SEARCH WARRANT

The cop told the court that in an attempt to elude the police, Taylor hid behind a wall on the balcony of the apartment, where he was found.

The policeman told the court that after gaining entry to the apartment, they executed a search warrant in the presence of two other females who lived there before apprehending the suspect.

He said that a bag with male clothing as well as a passport, driver’s licence, and a KSAMC vendor’s ID card belonging to Taylor was found in one of the bedrooms.

In another operation, the witness said that he and other officers from C-TOC apprehended accused Michael ‘Judge’ Lamont in the vicinity of a car parts dealership on Hagley Park Road in St Andrew.

He said he also arrested accused Donovan Cole at a dwelling house in Gregory Park, St Catherine, on June 27, 2017.

He told the court that other occupants of the house, who have not been identified, were also taken into custody.

The trial is scheduled to continue on Monday.

nickoy.wilson@gleanerjm.com