Industrial action by correctional officers at the Horizon correctional facility has resulted in the delay of the Supreme Court hearing for 23 alleged members of the Tesha Miller faction of the St Catherine-based Klansman gang.

Miller, who has been indicted under the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organizations) (Amendment) Act, commonly called the Anti-Gang law, for leadership of the organisation, and his 22 co-accused, who are to answer to membership charges, had been ordered by Supreme Court Judge Justice Vinette Graham Allen to reappear at 10 am Thursday.

However, more than two hours later most of the men were yet to make an appearance. Up to publication time, nine of the 23 men made it to court. The judge has issued bench warrants for the accused who are not present.

Observer Online was reliably informed that the industrial action and difficulties accessing one of the cells holding the defendants had affected their punctuality.

According to the police, the accused now facing trial are the sworn “enemies” of the rival Andre “Blackman” Bryan faction of the gang, 15 members of which are now serving sentences following a trial which began in 2021 and ended last year.

Bryan, who was convicted for leadership among other crimes, was sentenced to 39-and-a-half years behind bars when the matter concluded in October last year .

According to the police, the Klansman gang which at last count was linked to at least 800 murders dating back to 2014, is currently listed among the top five criminal organisations operating in Jamaica, with most of its activities centred in Spanish Town and surrounding areas.

Its influence, however, has spread to Clarendon, Manchester, St Ann, St James, and Kingston.