THE man accused of murdering former Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) Chairman Douglas Chambers was yesterday acquitted in the Home Circuit Court, six years after the matter was brought before the court.
Andre Bryan, who was on trial for the murder of Chambers in 2008, was found not guilty by six of the seven jurors.
Allegations are that on June 27, 2008, Chambers was shot dead at the JUTC depot in Spanish Town, St Catherine, after he had left a meeting to smoke a cigarette.
According to police reports, two gunmen, armed with a high-powered rifle and a .45 handgun, shot him repeatedly in the head.
The gunmen escaped on foot in bushes on the outskirts of a community known as Fish Ground — a volatile informal settlement which is notorious for its loyalty to the Klansman gang.
The prosecution had alleged that Chambers was killed because of a restructuring he was carrying out at the bus company at the time.
Bryan was arrested and charged in April 2010 after participating in an identification parade. He had remained in custody since then.
Following the verdict yesterday, Bryan’s aunt, who was overwhelmed with joy, said that she believes God has a plan for her nephew.
“I am just giving God thanks, God has given him another chance, thanks be to God. I know my nephew and I know that he was innocent,” she told the Jamaica Observer.
The woman, while noting that her nephew’s incarceration was unfair, said that she is not angry at the justice system.
“God kept him there, maybe if he was not there he would have been killed or killed on the road. I am very pleased with the result,” she added.
He was represented by Queen’s Counsel Valerie Neita-Robertson and attorney Kymberli Whittaker.
— Racquel Porter
Restructuring? Or he wasn’t paying his extortion fee? Shut up lady your nephew is a murderer, scum of society.
Spanish Twn get hot again cause blacks is a known gang leader from the klans he is responsible for Tessa brother death and many more, He parted ways with the klans and started killing off everyone from Tessa side to take over the klans. Blacks stay behind the walls of prison and give orders. I hope the police dem make sure this trip him dont go back in alive although some of dem on his payroll to. Them send all threat to one of the witness so him runway come a foreign for his own safety..
Spain did hot before…. dem need fi put Tesha and Black’s inna one cell together mek dem beat each other to death.
But u caan a jump pon Black’s but nah talk bout Tesha. From him land if him stand up yasuh before di day done suptn a guh happen right deh suh.
Him deh all over Spain up to di other day a pose up cross from mall, and love tek him month trips guh flex outta tyrall heights with the youths dem and palm off change gi dem!
Bu most ppl fi stop watch di man dem.and start watch di gal dem weh round dem cause a dem a keep watch, set up things and a carry things!
Oh wow!
I wonder how the Jamaican Oprah tekking this news?look a way the matey got everything n THE wife got chupance!dear SS u nah go block the road n demand retrial?
Makes sense that the acquitted man is connected. QC for defense that ain’t no small change. Perhaps the time served since 2010 was the trade for the acquittal. What kind of evidence have they been gathering since the crime and subsequent 2010 detention on remand and still couldn’t secure a conviction.