Five men, accused of a double murder in Laventille, have won their freedom after nearly a decade on remand. The collapse of the prosecution’s case, brought about due to the absence of a key witness, led to their discharge. The men had been implicated in the 2016 killings of Andre La Touche and Abiola Noel, who were gunned down while leaving a home in Eastern Quarry, Laventille.
The prosecution’s case relied heavily on a witness who claimed to have observed the attack and identified the accused. However, this crucial witness has since vanished, making it impossible for her to testify. She had previously alleged that she was pressurized by the police to falsely accuse the men to protect someone close to her.
The same witness was instrumental in a different 2015 murder case that ended up collapsing in 2021. During those proceedings, doubts were raised about the validity of her evidence, further complicating matters.
The discharge of the five men after nearly a decade in custody awaiting trial brings a controversial and long-delayed case to an abrupt end. This raises renewed questions about witness reliability and the administration of justice, highlighting the need for rigorous evidence examination in such grave matters.
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