Sykes shocked at accused cop’s ‘ignorance’
Published:Tuesday | July 23, 2019 | 12:16 AMNickoy Wilson/Gleaner Writer
Chief Justice Bryan Sykes yesterday questioned the apparent ignorance of the lone cop implicated in the Uchence Wilson Gang as the trial continued at the downtown Kingston-based Home Circuit Court.
In response to questions posed by Sykes, accused Detective Corporal Lloyd Knight said that while he was stationed in the St Catherine North Police Division from 2013 to 2016, he had never heard of the gang allegedly led by Wilson.
Sykes asked: “During all that time, you never heard about any [criminal] organisation?”
“I know about other gangs, but not this one,” said Knight, who has 23 years of service to the Jamaica Constabulary Force under his belt.
The cop also denied knowing Wilson, asserting that he only became aware who the reputed gang leader was when he was arrested in December 2017.
A Crown witness, said to be a former member of the gang, previously testified that gang members carried out a robbery at a Polo Ranch in St Catherine.
REMARKABLE REVELATIONS
Knight told the court that he was aware of the robbery, but not about who was behind it.
The chief justice asked, “At no time, absolutely no time, the intelligence unit there got any intelligence concerning this?”
The cop said he could not speak to that incident and of other incidents that are said to have taken place in the parish.
In response to this revelation, Sykes said, “This sounds absolutely remarkable to me that a number of these incidents took place and you didn’t hear about them.”
Seeking to clarify what he said, Knight told the court that he had heard about some of them.
Sykes then said, “Oh, you heard about some. If what you are telling me is true, then we really are in a sad place.”
As Knight continued to be quizzed by the presiding judge, he denied knowing any of the alleged gang members, except Shantal Gordon.
“Lo and behold! You were shocked and surprised to see all these men?” Sykes said, to which Knight responded, “Yes, Sir.”
Knight told the court that he met Gordon at a police station in St Catherine, where they exchanged numbers and flirted.
Later in the trial, accused Jermaine Stewart, who is charged with knowingly providing a benefit to a criminal organisation, denied any wrongdoing.
A character witness, who said he has known Stewart for 24 years, described him as talkative and comedic.
Character witnesses for Kenith Wynter also took the stand.
Wilson and his 17 alleged cronies are on trial for breaches of the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organisations) Act 2014, commonly known as the Anti-Gang Legislation, between 2015 and 2017.
They are also being tried for breaches of the Firearms Act.