CCTV footage outstanding in accused gunman’s 2023 murder case
Published:Friday | March 22, 2024 | 12:12 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
TYRESE HUNTER, the St James man who reportedly confessed to the 2023 shooting death of 34-year-old vendor Akeem Robinson, which was caught on CCTV footage, will have to wait until March 27 to hear whether his case-file in the St James Parish Court has been completed.
Hunter, a mechanic of a John’s Hall address, was remanded by presiding judge Sasha-Marie Ashley following his court appearance yesterday.
When Hunter’s matter was mentioned, the court was told that the prosecution was awaiting a CD with CCTV footage to add to its case-file. However, it was disclosed that the scene-of-crime CD was available.
It is also understood that the prosecution will be relying on a question-and-answer document to make up its case against Hunter.
Judge Ashley subsequently set March 27 as the new court date and remanded Hunter until that time, when a further update into the progression of the case-file will be expected.
The deceased Robinson, who originally hailed from Burnt Savannah in St Elizabeth, was shot and killed in broad daylight on November 23, 2023, along Fustic Avenue in Montego Bay, St James.
According to reports, Robinson was sitting along the roadway sometime after 2 p.m. when he was approached by the lone occupant of a motorcycle, who pulled a gun and opened fire on him. Robinson was shot in the head, following which the gunman escaped on the motorcycle.
Robinson was subsequently taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital, where he died while being treated.
Ironically, his death came hours after a state of public emergency had been issued for St James to deal with crime in the parish.
The Montego Bay Criminal Investigation Bureau launched a probe using canvassing and CCTV to identify and trace the perpetrator. This led to the arrest of Hunter on December 4, with the motorcycle believed to be involved found in his possession.
It is also understood that prior to his arrest in this case, Hunter had been granted bail in the Western Regional Gun Court in September 2023 in relation to a firearm charge.
Another suspect, Andeno ‘Deno’ Barrett, who was previously arrested in March 2023 in relation to an illegal firearm and ammunition, was also arrested and charged with Robinson’s murder following investigations by the police. However, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to appear in court on December 11, 2023.
Prior to Robinson’s killing, National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang announced on September 4 that year that cameras would be installed at strategic locations across Montego Bay over a 12-month period to aid the police in the fight against crime.
In the same month when Hunter and Barrett were arrested for Robinson’s murder, local Montego Bay developer Mark Kerr-Jarrett made a call for an expansion of the CCTV network in the western city to aid in solving crimes.
That call was made in the context of the resolution of the murder of homeless man Matthew Lettman, who was bludgeoned to death in March 2023. Rushawn Bulgin, who pleaded guilty to Lettman’s killing and was later sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in October, was identified as a person of interest 24 hours after the murder following analysis of digital and forensic evidence, which was retrieved by investigators.