Accused in Uchence Wilson trial freed of another charge

Several of the accused in the ongoing Uchence Wilson Gang trial were acquitted by Chief Justice Bryan Sykes of one additional charge on Wednesday.

Michael Lamont, Machel Goulbourne, Fitz Roy Scott, Stephenson Bennett, Derron Taylor, and the alleged leader of the gang, Uchence Wilson, were found not guilty of facilitating serious offences by a criminal organisation.

The charge of facilitating a serious offence by a criminal organisation is set out as an offence in Section 6 (1) b of the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organisation) Act.

Prosecutors had argued that Wilson, Scott, Lamont, Bennett, and Goulbourne, between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2016, at Ewarton, in the parish of St Catherine, knowingly facilitated the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation to wit – wounding with intent.

Scott was also found not guilty of robbery with aggravation.

As he did on previous occasions in dismissing charges against the accused on trial, Sykes said the evidence before the court was insufficient to convict the accused.

The gang is alleged to have wreaked havoc in St Catherine, Clarendon, St Andrew, St Mary, and St Ann by carrying out several robberies, break-ins, burglaries, and larceny in which motor vehicles, firearms, appliances, cellular phones, and other valuables were stolen.

Despite that acquittal, all of the accused still have several charges against them.

Sykes is currently wrapping up his summation in the case in the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston.

He will continue that process today.