KINGSTON, Jamaica — The first anti-gang trial involving accused gang leader Uchence Wilson and 23 of his alleged gang members was briefly adjourned this morning in the Home Circuit Court.

Wilson and his co-accused, including four women and two police officers, are set for a three-month trial. They will answer to various charges under the Criminal Justice Suppression of Criminal Organisations Act (Anti-Gang Legislation).

Presiding judge  Chief Justice Bryan Skyes  made an order for the matter to briefly adjourned after Wilson’s attorney, Lloyd McFarlane made an application for a short adjournment of at least a day.

McFarlane argued that four new counts had been added to the indictment and seven new witnesses and that his client has been affected as he now has a new count of illegal possession of firearm.

Further to that, the attorney said he is not aware of the information on which his client was charged and had not taken any instruction from him in regards to the new count. Hence, he was given 45 minutes by the judge.

McFarlane also made an application for the judge to use the January 9 indictment, which had 49 counts and on which Justice Georgianna Fraser had made an order for no changes to be made.

But Justice Sykes ruled against the application.

 According to one of the senior deputy director of public prosecution, no new statements were added, only new counts, which arose from information that had already been disclosed.

Trial resumed at 12:15 pm.