MONTEGO BAY, St James — After months of waiting, a long-running ammunition case that first made headlines last year is finally moving toward trial. The trial was initially stalled by the absence of a key ballistics report.

The matter returned to the spotlight on Wednesday when it came before judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton in the St James Parish Court.

At the centre of the case are two St Elizabeth residents — 29-year-old security guard Brian Witter of Nain and 46-year-old Vancia Peart of Pepper, who also has ties to the United States. Both are charged with unauthorised possession of ammunition.

Peart is now represented by attorney Jermaine Campbell, while Witter is without legal counsel.

During Wednesday’s sitting, the long-awaited ballistics certificate was finally served on the defence. With that hurdle cleared, the court set February 24 as the trial date. Bail for both accused was extended.

According to the Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division (FNID), the case stems from events at Sangster International Airport on August 1, 2025, when Peart was preparing to board a flight to the United States. During routine security screening, authorities allegedly discovered seven rounds of ammunition in her luggage. Subsequent investigations reportedly linked Witter to the incident, resulting in his arrest.

Investigators say neither accused held a valid licence to possess ammunition. Both were taken into custody and formally charged on August 3.