Witness says he is testifying to get rid of killers

The former gangster turned state witness in the One Don Gang Trial yesterday declared that he made the decision to testify against the gang to help his country.

The witness made the assertion during cross-examination while dismissing suggestions from Lloyd McFarlane, who is representing the gang's reputed leader Andre 'Blackman' Bryan, that he testified to save himself. He also said he did it to rid the street of "some killers".

"I was doing the right thing for everybody in Spanish Town, St Catherine, where we are from," he maintained. "You are now a patriot, yes? "McFarlane asked him.

"Yes to what," he answered. "You are now a patriot? You did it to help your country?" the lawyer reiterated.

"To get rid of some killers off the street," the witness answered.

Earlier, McFarlane quizzed the witness about what had happened to his anti-gang charge and was told that it had been dismissed by the court after he had given a statement to the police in January 2020.

When asked if he had given the statement in exchange for his freedom, the witness said he gave the statement as he did not want to waste the court's time.

But at the same time, he admitted that he was aware that the police had an interest in developing a case against the defendants.

"You knew if you gave the statement against Andre Bryan it would help you?" McFarlane asked.

"No Sir," the witness said while pointing out that he had given a statement against all of the defendants and not only Bryan.

During further cross-examination, the witness also dismissed suggestions from the lawyer that he had lied about Bryan being the gang's leader and plotting and orchestrating murders and shootings with the other defendants. "All of it is true," the witness said.

He, however, admitted that he had no evidence to support what he was saying as he had never collected receipts for the car that he had testified to renting to carry out the alleged murders and shootings. He also said he destroyed the book in which he had recorded all the extortion monies he had collected for the gang.