Trial date for alleged members of Ranko gang to be set in November

A trial date is expected to be set next month for the alleged members of the Clarendon-based Ranko Gang, which is reportedly led by a police constable.

During a court mention on Tuesday, it was revealed that the long-awaited report from the Communication Forensics and Cybercrime Unit of the police force is now ready.

That clears the way for a trial date to be confirmed during the next hearing on November 14.

Alleged gang leader Constable Tafari Silvera, along with Constable Tehneil Francis, David Henry, and Tevin Henriquez, remains in custody after being remanded.

Bail was extended for the female accused, Jasette Brown. Bail was also extended for Constable Daneilio Barnes, Constable Rajay Morrison, and Ovilgo McKenzie.

Silvera was first arrested in June 2021 after allegations surfaced that he had hired two hitmen to murder a police informant from Clarendon. He faces conspiracy to murder charges alongside two civilians, Christopher Robinson and Mark Bennett, in a separate case.

The other defendants were arrested last March amid accusations of their involvement in the 27-member gang.

Reports initially indicated that eight police officers were linked to the gang, with one fleeing the island when Silvera was apprehended. However, one officer was released after two complainants declined to cooperate with prosecutors regarding robbery allegations against him.

The Ranko Gang has been connected to 17 criminal incidents, including shootings, burglaries, robbery with aggravation, illegal possession of firearms, shopbreaking, conspiracy to murder, and abduction, allegedly committed across multiple parishes between 2019 and 2021.

- Tanesha Mundle

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