Uchence Wilson Gang Trial | Alleged gang leader fired at cops trying to apprehend him, court told
Published:Tuesday | May 7, 2019 | 12:00 AMNickoy Wilson/Gleaner Writer
Reputed gang leader Uchence Wilson is said to have fired several shots at a policeman who attempted to apprehend him during an August 9, 2017, operation at his Maryland, St Andrew, home, the court was told yesterday.
The detective sergeant told the court that he fired one shot in the direction of Wilson, who subsequently ran down the road.
He said while Wilson was making his escape, he was looking behind him and firing shots, just before jumping into a heavily vegetated gully.
The detective sergeant said he and his colleagues went in pursuit of Wilson, but they were not able to locate him in the bushes and aborted the operation.
The witness told the court that they then brought accused Stephenson Bennett – who they had arrested in an operation in Ewarton, St Catherine, earlier that day – to the Guy’s Hill Police Station in the parish.
He said that Bennett received a call from Wilson, informing him about a robbery that they were planning to carry out in St Mary that same night.
He said that Bennett then told them that he could lead them to Wilson.
The policeman said that when an agreement was reached, he and his colleagues travelled in Bennett’s car to Wilson’s home.
On arrival, the witness said he came out of the vehicle, identified himself as a policeman to Wilson, and grabbed him.
He told the court that Wilson escaped his grasp and then pulled a firearm from his waist and a shoot-out ensued.
Another policeman, who is said to have collected the two mobile phones seized from alleged gang members, also gave testimony.
Wilson and his 23 alleged gang members are being tried for various breaches of the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organisations) Act 2014, commonly known as the anti-gang legislation, for crimes allegedly committed between 2015 and 2017.
They are also answering to breaches of the Firearms Act.