Qahal Yahweh leader granted bail

Leader of the Montego Bay-based Qahal Yahweh religious group, Omar Thompson, who was convicted of two counts of cruelty to two children and sentenced on June 29 to 22 months in prison, has been granted bail by the Court of Appeal.

He will remain on bail pending the outcome of his appeal.

Thompson, who retained the services of King's Counsel Peter Champagnie and attorney-at-law Samoi Campbell for his appeal, was granted bail on Tuesday following a hearing in chambers at the Court of Appeal.

The judge after hearing the bail application granted Thompson bail in the sum of $500,000 with a surety. The judge also ordered  reporting conditions and gave strict orders for the appellant not to have any contact with the witnesses.

A Family Court Judge had found Thompson guilty of abusing two children, ages 12 and 14.

In one instance he used a belt to beat the complainant in the palm of the hand and in another instance publicly shaved the head of the other child.

Thompson is now seeking to challenge his convictions and sentence.

The charges stemmed from an incident in 2020 on the compound of the Qahal Yahweh group in Montego Bay, St James.

-Barbara Gayle

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