ST JAMES, Jamaica — Dailando Bailey, the lifeguard accused of strangling his brother Oshaine Bailey to death in September of last year, is scheduled to undergo a committal hearing on March 20.

Bailey, 24, who is from Catherine Mount, St James, was informed of his hearing date following his appearance in the St James Parish Court on Monday.

During the committal hearing, the judge will review the evidence presented by the prosecution to decide whether Bailey’s case should be transferred to the St James Circuit Court for trial.

During Monday’s proceedings, the clerk of the court informed presiding judge Sasha-Marie Smith-Ashley that, while the prosecution had been waiting for the scene-of-crime report regarding Bailey’s case, they could still move forward with the case even in the absence of that specific document.

However, Bailey’s attorney Henry McCurdy contended that the prosecution’s case against his client was weak, and cited self-defence as the reason for Bailey’s actions at the time of the incident.

“The matter is long past committal time… my records show it is from September last year,” said McCurdy, noting that the case was first heard in court on September 20, 2023.

Nonetheless, Judge Smith-Ashley scheduled the committal hearing for March 20 and extended Bailey’s bail.

Police had reported that the brothers were at home on September 12 when an argument developed over a bill. It escalated into a physical altercation during which it is alleged that Dailando choked his brother until he became unresponsive.

Oshaine was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Dailando reported the incident to the police, which led to his arrest.