Supreme Court acquits three policemen of murder charges

The Supreme Court on Tuesday acquitted three policemen involved in the 2016 wounding and killing of Jamar Walford.

Corporals Rhamone Scott and Gregory South, along with Constable Duwayne Kelly James, were found not guilty after the judge instructed the jury to return that verdict.

The prosecution’s evidence, stemming from an INDECOM investigation, suggested that Walford was shot and killed near his residence on Bond Street in Kingston on May 27, 2016.

According to ballistics and forensic evidence, INDECOM investigators theorised that Corporal South and Constable Kelly James shot and injured Walford while Corporal Scott fired the fatal shot on nearby premises as Walford attempted to flee.

Although two witnesses confirmed seeing multiple police officers enter the premises and hearing explosions shortly after, they could not identify which officer shot Walford. All three officers claimed self-defence, stating that Walford opened fire on them. A Taurus revolver and an AK-47 rifle were recovered at the scene.

As the prosecution concluded their case, lawyers representing the officers argued that there was insufficient evidence for the jury’s deliberation. Scott was represented by Althea Grant; South by Kemar Robinson; and Kelly James by Peter Champagnie KC and Samoi Campbell.

Initially, INDECOM recommended charging additional officers with misconduct in a public office and attempting to pervert the course of justice; however, the director of public prosecutions declined to act on this recommendation.

This decision became the subject of a judicial review in 2020, where the court ruled that the director of public prosecutions had properly exercised their discretion not to charge the other officers named.

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