Jolyan Silvera remanded, bail application delayed
Published:Friday | April 12, 2024 | 12:11 AMTanesha Mundle/Staff Reporter
Former St Mary Western Member of Parliament (MP) Jolyan Silvera, who is charged with his wife Melissa’s murder, will have to wait for another three weeks to find out whether he will be admitted to bail.
The 52-year-old one-term People’s National Party legislator and land developer was scheduled for a bail application on Thursday in the Home Circuit Court, but the matter was postponed until May 2.
Giving a limited update on what transpired in the hearing, King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie said, “The reasons for that I would not want to go into, but just to indicate that there are some additional documents that are still outstanding that will be pertinent to the application. So the matter will be fixed for the 2nd of May.”
Besides the application, Champagnie said, an order was also made for those documents to be furnished to the defence before the bail hearing date.
In the meantime, the senior counsel maintained that his client is anxious to have his day in court.
“Under the circumstances, he is as one would expect – very concerned, very apprehensive, very anxious. His position is very consistent in terms of his innocence ... . He appreciates the circumstances and why [the hearing] was adjourned until the next court date,” he said.
Champagnie added that his client is undoubtedly looking forward to a successful application, so that he may be reunited with his children.
Silvera, who was dressed in a black suit, appeared to be in good spirits and politely greeted journalists while being escorted from the courtroom.
He was remanded by Justice Vinette Graham-Allen.
Silvera was charged with the November 2023 murder of his 42-year-old wife and mother of three of his children, Melissa. He was also charged with using a firearm to commit a felony.
On November 10 last year, it was widely publicised that Melissa, a University of Virginia graduate, had passed away peacefully in her sleep at the Silveras’ Diamond Court apartment in Stony Hill, St Andrew.
However, during an autopsy three weeks later, three bullet fragments were found in her body. This triggered a murder probe and led to charges being laid against her widower.
Attorney-at-law Patrice Riley also appears with Champagnie for the defendant, while attorney-at-law Tamika Harris is representing Melissa’s family.