MONTEGO BAY, St James – Attorney-at-law Chumu Paris, who is representing a man accused of murdering a Jamaican-born Canadian, is arguing that there is insufficient evidence to convict his client. According to Paris, there was nothing to prove that Kimani Alcock was seen committing the offence.

Paris made his remarks on Wednesday, when the case against Alcock was called before presiding judge Sasha-Marie Smith-Ashley in the St James Parish Court.

The prosecution alleges that persons saw Alcock and another man at the scene prior to the 2021 incident. However, Paris argued that the video footage presented to the court did not confirm this.

“Even if they were there, their presence alone is not sufficient to say he [Alcock] is a part of any murder…There is nothing in the Crown’s case to say that this man was involved in the killing of anybody. The video footage does not extend the Crown’s case any further,” Paris said.

At that point, the prosecutor stated that the Crown would be relying on circumstantial evidence.

“We are saying that the inescapable inference can be drawn that these two men, having been in the area, having been seen in the area at the time where the now deceased was seen, coupled with the fact that the witness would have seen the accused in close proximity at the time when the incident took place, we believe that would be the basis on which to say, perhaps the offence was committed by this accused before you today,” the prosecutor said.

Smith-Ashley stated that, despite the fact that it was a circumstantial case, she had to commit the matter to the Circuit Court at this point and subsequently offered Alcock bail in the amount of $300,000. Conditions of bail require him to report to a specific police station twice per week.

Alcock is expected to appear in the High Court on April 5, 2024.

“Mr Alcock, this is a circumstantial case. It can go either way. But in my view, there is sufficient evidence to send you to the High Court for trial,” the judge told the defendant before allowing him to leave the prisoners’ dock.

Alcock is charged with the murder of 46-year-old Collin Wright of Stainton Drive, Mississauga, Canada, and injuring another man. Wright was visiting relatives at a section of the community known as Bottom Cambridge at the time of the incident.

According to the allegations, about 7:00 pm on January 10, 2021, Wright was sitting in the yard with his cousin who operates a shop when two men entered and ordered cigarettes and rum. They were told that neither was available and left, but later returned.

One of the men pulled a handgun and opened fire, hitting Wright multiple times before fleeing the scene. The other man in Wright’s company was also injured during the attack.

The police were summoned and, upon their arrival, Wright was taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead.