MONTEGO BAY, St James – The trial of businessman Michael Issa, who is charged with resisting arrest and the use of indecent language, started in the St James Parish Court on Monday with Detective Michael Chisholm giving evidence. However, the desire of the prosecution to have the contentious station diary brought in as evidence resulted in the case being adjourned until June 1, 2022.

When the case was called up, it was stood down for two in the afternoon as a result of the late disclosure of a statement to Issa’s attorney Michael Hemmings.

READ: Trial of businessman Michael Issa put on hold

The alleged copy of the statement served is in relation to the negligent loss of Issa’s licensed firearm. Hemmings had requested the original statement which led to the delay.

However, when the case finally got underway in the afternoon, Detective Chisholm outlined a dramatic sequence of events that led to the charges of indecent language, abusive language and resisting arrest being laid against Issa.

According to Detective Chisholm, a distraught Issa showed up at the Freeport station on December 17 at 2:00 pm to report his firearm missing, which led to the immediate commencement of an investigation.

On December 19, Issa contacted Detective Chisholm by way of a phone text message to inform him that the weapon was found.

Issa was told to take the weapon in for testing at a Government lab. The police reportedly did not hear from Issa again despite several messages left. When Issa was finally reached, he allegedly told Detective Chisholm that he should speak to Gordon Brown, his attorney, personal friend and advisor concerning anything having to do with the firearm.

Detective Chisholm told the court that on January 13, 2022, Issa and his lawyer showed up at the police station for reasons unrelated to the firearm.

The men were confronted and Brown allegedly told Issa in the presence of Detective Chisholm and another police that the police cannot lock him up and hurriedly walked away when an alarm was made by Detective Chisholm.

The police caught up with the men at which point Issa reportedly hurled expletiveS and other abusive languages and made mention of having Detective Chisholm transferred to another parish.

Issa was charged with three offences and the negligent loss of a firearm. Brown was also warned for prosecution in relation to perverting the course of justice whilst the police performed their duty.

The firearm was taken, sealed, labelled and sent to the lab for testing.

Following a deliberation between the prosecution and Hemmings over the prosecution’s request for the station diary to be admitted in evidence, presiding judge Kaysha Grant set a new trial continuation date.

Hemmings had argued that the diary which contained a log of the reported missing firearm has to do with a charge that was dismissed and therefore the court is sitting to deal with the three other charges against Issa.

“The crown is at liberty to call witnesses, tender exhibits as it pleases. The court cannot fetter lawfully what the crown decides to in terms of witnesses they call and exhibits they tendered,” stated Grant, who added, “in terms of the relevance of this document which has been raised by both of you, I see some relevance in it…”

“Mr Issa, this matter continues on the first day of June this year. Your bail is extended. Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Chisholm, you are bound over to return to court with the relevant station diary on the first of June,” stated Grant, who also subpoenaed any other witnesses to attend court.

Issa was arrested and charged with the negligent loss of firearm, resisting arrest, abusive language and indecent language when he went to the police station, hours after his stepson was allegedly abducted and killed, to report his licensed firearm missing.

The gun, which was said to have gone missing on December 17, 2021, and is unrelated to the child’s death, was later found and the related charges dismissed.

Gabriel, who was autistic, was found with his throat slashed and his body slumped on the back seat of his mother’s car shortly after she told police assailants dragged her from her car and drove away with her child in it.

The incident allegedly took place on the Tucker main road in St James. The car was found on Oak Hill Avenue in Fairfield Estates.

There have been no arrests in the case and no suspects named.

-Anthony Lewis