Cocaine case against airport employees for February 28

WESTERN BUREAU:

The three former Sangster International Airport employees who are facing drug charges stemming from allegations that they tried to smuggle 11.4 kilogrammes of cocaine on to a Canada-bound flight in 2021 will know their fate on February 28 when their trial will either continue or the case against them dismissed.

Indra Waite, Brelanie Reid, and Romaine Kerr, whose trial began in the St James Parish Court on November 16 last year, had their bails extended to the new court date after their lawyers made a joint application on Tuesday, February 21 for the matter to be dismissed for want of prosecution.

The application was made after presiding parish judge Sasha-Marie Ashley was told by the prosecution that a police witness who had been giving testimony in the trial was absent due to illness. The court was also told that statements from overseas witnesses, which should have been added to the case-file, had not yet been received.

In making the application, Kerr’s lawyer Charles Sinclair complained that the prosecution had been given more than enough time to gather enough evidence to make a sustainable case against the defendants.

“They were given close to three months (to complete the file), and what do we have? We have a statement which really does not advance anything, and it does not take them any further. We are here, and we are saying that the circumstances are unfair,” the irate Sinclair told Judge Ashley. “Whatever review or discussion they needed to have to advance the matter today (Tuesday), they had close to three months to do that.”

Attorney Martyn Thomas, who is representing Reid, argued that the file bundle which had been served to the defendants’ attorneys is unclear about the prosecution’s planned progression of the matter.

“The case has started, we were told that the witnesses would be here today, and we are still where we have been. Based on what we have been served, the Crown has still not indicated who they have a case against, so in the circumstances I do not know what we are doing, and the defendants’ livelihoods have been affected,” said Thomas.

Meanwhile, Waite’s lawyer Henry McCurdy pointed to the fact that the absence of the foreign witnesses’ statements has resulted in the case’s stalling despite previous orders from the court that the matter was to continue on Tuesday.

In response, Judge Ashley ordered that the prosecution must proceed with its other witnesses on February 28, when the trial will resume.

“It is my duty to balance the scales, and the prosecution is to indicate whether there is a case. There are other witnesses in this case, so if the decision of the prosecution is to continue the matter, then somebody must be here to continue the case,” said Ashley.

The allegations are that on October 10, 2021, the defendants were servicing a Sun Wing flight that was scheduled to depart from the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, when they conspired and placed a bag with 11.4 kilograms of cocaine, valued at $88.1 million, on board the aircraft.

The cocaine was intercepted at the Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada and one person was arrested in relation to the seizure. Following top-level investigations, the three St James residents were also arrested and charged.

Waite, a 43-year-old security supervisor, is charged with possession of criminal property and aiding and abetting.

Reid, a 23-year-old aviation security officer, is charged with breaching the Civil Aviation Act, while Kerr, a 35-year-old ramp attendant, is charged with possession of, dealing in, and attempting to export cocaine.

A fourth accused was freed after the prosecution elected to drop the conspiracy charge against all of the accused persons.