Tyre repairman alleged to have beaten man to death with stone remanded
Published:Thursday | May 9, 2024 | 12:10 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Oppley Ebanks, the St James man who reportedly used a stone to beat another man to death during a confrontation on January 14, has been remanded until May 29 following his latest appearance in the St James Parish Court on Wednesday, as his case-file is still incomplete.
Ebanks, a tyre repairman of a Montego Bay address, is charged with murder in relation to the death of 40-year-old labourer Santino Plummer, of a Lilliput address.
During Ebanks’ brief court appearance on Wednesday, presiding parish judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton was informed that the post-mortem report is still outstanding from the prosecution’s case-file, and that no time had been given for when it will be ready.
Fairclough-Hylton subsequently set the case for further mention on May 29, and remanded Ebanks until that date. She also noted that the defendant has a bail offer that is still available for him to take up.
During a previous court appearance on February 21, Ebanks was offered bail in the sum of $800,000 with two sureties, on condition that he should report to the police four times a week and surrender his travel documents. A stop-order was also issued for him as part of the bail conditions.
At that time, his attorney Jermaine Campbell successfully argued during the bail application that Ebanks had been defending himself and a woman from Plummer at the time of the January 14 incident, and that the defendant was taken into custody while he and the woman were making their way to the police.
Bail offer reduced
During a later court date on April 18, Ebanks’ last appearance prior to Wednesday’s sitting, attorney Campbell made a successful application to reduce the defendant’s bail offer from $800,000 to $600,000. The attorney indicated on that occasion that the woman who Ebanks had reportedly been defending was his girlfriend.
Interestingly, attorney Campbell was not present during Ebanks’ latest court appearance on Wednesday, and no explanation was given as to the reason for his absence.
According to the allegations, on January 14 at about 11:30 p.m., Plummer went to a football playing field to conduct a business transaction. While there, an argument reportedly developed between him and a woman, in which Ebanks intervened.
The confrontation between the two men turned physical, during which Ebanks allegedly used a stone to strike Plummer. The police were summoned, and on their arrival, Plummer was seen lying face down in blood with a wound to the head.
Ebanks, who was seen running from the scene, was chased and held by the lawmen. He was taken into custody and formally charged after a question-and-answer session.