RM says police case weak
The two men charged for arson following the mysterious disappearance of four people from one family after a fire in Lime Hall, St Ann, have been granted bail with strict conditions.
Junior Campbell, 27, and his brother 23-year-old Shawn Nelson, both of Lime Hall, St Ann appeared in the St. Ann’s Bay Resident Magistrate Court on Wednesday, December 23.
The men were among eleven people picked up by the police. All the others have been released.
In court on Wednesday, defence attorney Ramon Clayton, who was holding for attorney Everal Webster, who represents the accused men, explained that, on the previous court date, the police investigators requested more time for additional charges to be brought. However, he pointed out that they were yet to bring those charges and so he was requesting that bail be given to both accused men.
The clerk of court told the court that based on the information he received from the police officers, the investigations were not complete and the evidence was circumstantial at this stage. However, the crown was concerned about the risk of interference with the case if the men were on bail.
In response to the prosecution’s argument, senior resident magistrate Andrea Thomas explained that the crown’s case was weak against the men in relation to the charge of arson at this time. She went on to explain to the investigators, that although a slipper found at the scene of the house of the fire in Lime Hall was identified as belonging to the accused man, it could not be proven yet that he set the fire because several persons were at the scene that night. She also indicated that the bag, found in a pit (latrine) containing the documents belonging to one of the missing persons, also could not be linked directly to the men involved, because several houses were also in the yard.
These were the bases on which bail was considered by RM Thomas as the crown failed to answer her question as to whether there was sufficient evidence at this stage to prove that the accused men caused the fire.
Police officers investigating the matter also revealed in court that no information has yet been provided as to whether any of the missing persons have left any of the ports of entry/exit in the country to travel overseas. In addition, the case file was incomplete as the ballistic report and the CFCU information from a cellphone recovered belonging to one of the missing persons are still not on the file. The officers requested more time for the information to be acquired.
Junior Campbell, who also has a robbery with aggravation and wounding with intent charges before the court, received bail in the sum of $450,000 with up to three sureties. His brother, Shawn Nelson received bail in the sum of $350,000 with up to three sureties also.
TOUGH BAIL
Both received bail with strict conditions to include the surrendering of their travel documents and a stop order put in place. They are to report to the St. Ann’s Bay police station on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. In addition, a curfew order was put in place; they are not to leave their houses before 5:30 a.m. and be home by 7 p.m. daily. They were also instructed not to return to the community of Lime Hall and should not make any contact with the witnesses in the matter.
Campbell and Nelson are to return to court on January 5, 2016 when the case is set to be mentioned.
Missing since the early morning of Saturday, November 14 are: fifty-seven-year-old Joseph Lynch, his nephew 43-year-old Lascelles Lynch, 50-year-old Ruth Lawrence, and her niece, seven-year-old Rimeka Haynes.
Reports are that late Friday night into the wee hours of Saturday morning, November 14, a five-bedroom house and two out buildings were destroyed by fire. Police and fire personnel found no sign of the occupants, even after several searches that included cadaver dogs and also interviews with people from the area. It is reported that several bags of pimento were stolen from the property as was at least one head of cattle.
