THE question of whether the evidence given by a prosecution witness, which has so far proven crucial in the ongoing case involving alleged members of criminal outfit, the Uchence Wilson Gang, can be used to show that accused gangster Uchence “Terrence” Wilson was the leader of the gang loomed large yesterday.

Shortly before 12 yesterday afternoon, Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, who has been delivering his summation, declared Wilson and three other accused guilty of count 38 of the indictment which deals with facilitating the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation. In this instance, Wilson, Derron Taylor, Fitzroy Scott and Michael Lamont robbed a family in St Ann in 2017.

In that incident, the chief justice said evidence given by that individual who testified of being involved with Wilson and others, contrasted that of another witness who said he had also been on that robbery. According to that individual, his role was to lie in a cemetery and look out for the police. He said they were taken to St Ann by Taylor in a Toyota Tacoma motor truck where he was dropped off at the cemetery and while there answered a call from Wilson who told him that they “were about to start cutting into the place and he was to keep a sharp look out”. According to the witness, not long after he saw a police vehicle with flashing lights and called Wilson to come and pick him up. He said when he was picked up the other men had money and phones with them.

According to the witness, they then went to a location where Wilson counted money “from the operation” and gave him $20,000.

Justice Sykes said it was notable that that witness did not mention the presence of the other individual going further to say that that individual’s account in terms of how they ended up at the home of the family was substantially different. According to that individual, the intent for going to the parish had been to steal a bus. When they arrived at the location, however, it was night and they were unable to determine the kind of bus and the year of the model, and so decided not to steal it. According to that witness, Bennett at this time decided he was going to leave and spend the night with a new girlfriend. He was driven by Taylor. He said he, Lamont and Scott then ended up at the house of the would-be victims where they stole their vehicle instead, among other items. Justice Sykes said while this individual did not mention that Wilson was also at the house, the testimony of the other witness in the cemetery would have borne this out, based on the fact that he said Wilson had called him to tell him that they were cutting into the house. In the meantime, the chief justice took pains to point out that the witness’ account of what unfolded at the house mirrored what had been told to the court by the victims when they testified during the trial last year.

“It appears to me that Mr (name removed) account is more consistent with the other known evidence in the case…more consistent with the evidence of (names omitted) and the police,” the chief justice said. The police, in a subsequent operation, had accosted Lamont and found him with a phone, later identified as being one of those taken from the house, along with other items.

Lamont, however, maintained that the phone was his and that he had purchased it in Half-Way-Tree but could not say. The testimony of experts, however, pointed to the fact that the phone was not in use by Lamont until after the date of the robbery based on its movements

“I do not accept Mr Lamont’s version as to how he came by the phone, notwithstanding his good character, I am satisfied that he was one of the three men who were at the house of [the victims],” Justice Sykes stated. In also rejecting the testimony of the witness who, by virtue

of “spending a significant portion of the night with the dead in the cemetery”, would not be able to share what the accused turned witness had, which was further attested to by the victims.

In the meantime, the chief justice, citing weaknesses in the evidence given by the other witness, pronounced Wilson, Taylor, Scott, Bennett and Walters not guilty in respect of count 36 (facilitating serious offence by a criminal organisation) as it relates to a 2016 robbery in

St Catherine, Wilson, Scott, Winter, Lamont and Bennett not guilty in respect of count 16 (facilitating serious offence by a criminal organisation) in respect of a charge of burglary and larceny in St Andrew in February 2016 and Wilson not guilty in respect of count 37 (facilitating serious offence by a criminal organisation) relating to burglary and larceny in St Andrew in November 2016.

The chief justice resumes his summation on Monday where it is expected he will address the charges under counts 34 and 33 of the indictment involving further robberies.

The 14 remaining individuals, including Wilson, who were among close to 30 arrested by the Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime Investigation Branch (C-TOC) in 2017, were said to be part of one of the island’s most organised and vile gangs that was responsible for robberies, extortion, rapes, murders, and the pilfering of a number of licensed firearms.

Since the beginning of the trial in March 2019 a number of the accused have walked free, with the Crown’s case against them falling apart due to insufficient evidence. Wilson for his part has been declared “not guilty” in respect of several other counts.