Email

Print

And, turning now from politics….to court news, 3 accused killers are free of charges after many years on remand.  

For just over 7 years, 30-year-old Cassian Bennett/Gentle, 33-year-old Jermaine “Horseâ€￾ Garnett, and 43-year-old Kenneth Barrow have all been jointly charged for the 2012 murder of 19-year-old Raheem Requena. But tonight, all 3 men are home free because the DPP’s Office has decided to discontinue its prosecution against them.

Viewers may remember the tragic and senseless murder of Raheem Requena. On the night of December 19th, 2012. The 4th form student who was attended Excelsior High School, was riding his bicycle on Kut Avenue. He was on the way to his grandmother’s house when a gunman ambushed him and shot him 8 times.

Several days later, police arrested and charged Gentle, Garnett and Barrow. But, after languishing on remand for about 5 years, all 3 men were released on the rare instance of bail for a murder charge.

Their case was called up before Justice Marilyn Williams today, and that’s when Crown Counsel Portia Staine announced that the DPP’s Office was entering a “nolle prosâ€￾ against them. That’s because the prosecution’s main witness, a relative of the deceased, fled Belize in fear of her life. She had initially expressed an interest in wanting to testify against the accused men, but in a recent telephone conversation, this witness made it clear that she would not cooperate and testify in the trial. So, without that main witness, the DPP’s Office was forced to end their prosecution against all 3 accused men. Justice Williams informed them that if the DPP’s Office ever gathers what is believed to be solid evidence to prove their case, they can be charged a second time with murder.

They were all freely allowed to leave court after the hearing.