KINGSTON, Jamaica – Defence attorney Tamika Harris Wednesday told jurors in the Vybz Kartel murder trial that police-corruption is rife, and that cops make up witness statements all the time. 

In light of that she said the police should have gone to Research in Motion [makers of Blackberry phones] to verify the messages said to have been sent from the BBM service were indeed sent from a phone attributed to Vybz Kartel.

“It’s particularly unfair in this case when the prosecution is asking you to be sure [about evidence], when their own witnesses are not certain,” said Harris, who is representing co-accused Andre St John.

“All the men here are cloaked in innocence,” she said while noting that the prosecution had to prove their guilt. 

Additionally, she said that Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams’ girlfriend gave evidence in court, and at no time did she testify to sending or receiving any of the texts attributed to her or Williams about him heading to Havendale. 

Harris pointed out that the girlfriend instead testified going to look for him in Rat Town.

Kartel, along with St John, Shawn Campbell, Shane Williams and Kahira Jones are on trial for the 2011 murder of ‘Lizard’ Williams, believed committed at Kartel’s Havendale, St Andrew house.