Trial of businessman Michael Issa put on hold
ST JAMES, Jamaica — The trial of businessman Michael Issa, who is charged with resisting arrest and indecent language, has failed to get off the ground.
Instead, the matter, which was called up in the St James Parish Court on Monday morning, was stood down for 2:00 pm.
The case was put on hold as a result of the late disclosure of a statement to Issa’s attorneys. The businessman is being represented by Michael Hemmings and Gordon Brown.
The statement served Monday morning is in relation to Issa’s alleged negligent loss of his licensed firearm. It is an alleged copy of an entry made in the police diary on December 17, 2021.
Hemmings has requested the original statement, but the clerk of court said she was yet to assess the statement in terms of its relevance to the trial.
As a result, the case was stood down.
Issa was arrested and charged with negligent loss of firearm, resisting arrest, 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.
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