Police constable bailed for $750,000 in Hanover murder case

Jamaica: A police constable was granted bail by the master after the appearance in the parish court for last year’s case of a murder in the Mount Pleasant locality of Hanover. The accused police constable is granted bail on Tuesday, 23 April, against the sum amount of seven and fifty thousand dollars.

As per the reports in the case, the incident of the murder case dates back to last year on Sunday, 26 March 2023 in Hanover, a parish in the northwestern part of Jamaica. It is mentioned that on the day of the criminal act, the victim was attending a wake organised at a bar in Mount Pleasant.

It is mentioned that out of some reason suddenly a conflict arose at the place of the wake. In the act, the victim man and the accused police constable, who was also present at the place, got involved in a confrontation which ultimately led to the murder of the common man.

Reportedly, the confrontation got heated up and led the situation out of hand. The police constable in the process lost his calm and got armed with a firearm. Subsequently, the accused policeman launched a fatal shooting attack on the victim which left him in critical condition.

Afterwards, the victim of the shooting attack in Hanover was pronounced dead after examination. The victim was identified by the authorities as a 24-year-old man. The name of the deceased man in the Hanover murder case was said to be Avado Samuels as per the documents.

Subsequently, the investigation was started by taking the accused police constable under custody for the offence of killing a common man. The case was taken over by the Independent Commission of Investigations, INDECOM, as the incident involved a policeman in service.

The investigation was conducted and after that, the accused police constable was charged with relevant offences for the murder in Hanover. He was charged with murder contrary to common law after the ruling of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, ODPP.

Under the laid charges, the accused constable was presented in front of the master of the parish court in Hanover for the legal proceedings. After the presentation of the arguments and reasoning from both sides, in favour and against the accused, the decision was made by the judge.

In the decision, the police constable was granted bail in the amount of seven and fifty thousand dollars with one to two sureties. However, the accused constable is ordered to return back for an appearance in the court on Tuesday, 4 June, where the Hanover murder case will proceed further.