St Ann man freed of gun, ammo charges
OCHO RIOS, St Ann — A man was set free in the St Ann Circuit Court on Tuesday, six years after being charged with illegal possession of firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, and discharging a firearm within 40 yards of a public place.
The Crown made a no-evidence submission in relation to all the charges brought against Alair Franklyn.
The allegations were that in October 2019 Franklyn was at a community shop within the parish when he took out a firearm and fired onto the shop floor. It is reported that he was subsequently attacked and beaten by other occupants of the shop and residents of the community before the police were summoned.
When cops arrived the firearm was handed over by a resident and Franklyn was taken into custody. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On Tuesday the court heard that since Franklyn’s arrest the resident who allegedly handed over the firearm to the police was never located to appear as a witness in court and the officer assigned to the case had resigned from the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
— Akera Davis
