Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

The prosecution was forced last week to offer no further evidence against Kevin Cole, 33, farmer, of Ocho Rios, St Ann, because there was no evidence to link him to the murder for which he was charged.

When the sole eyewitness, Barrington McDowell, was called to testify in the St Ann Circuit Court, he said he could not recall seeing Cole stab the deceased.

No recollection

McDowell also could not recall giving a statement to the police or giving a deposition at the preliminary inquiry.

Attorney-at-law Kenneth Fer-guson, who was prosecuting the case, offered no further evidence against Cole.

Cole, who was represented by attorney-at-law Peter Champagnie, was charged with the murder of Andrew Blake, 23, vendor of Spanish Town, St Catherine.

The allegations were that on December 30, 2005, the deceased and a group of vendors had a dispute because the vendors were blocking the entrance to a farm store which was owned by the accused's father.

It was further alleged that the accused left and returned in the company of four men. The accused allegedly stabbed Blake in the chest.

Cole turned himself in to the police and was pointed out at an identification parade.

After the Crown offered no further evidence against Cole on Tuesday, Supreme Court Judge Almarie Sinclair Haynes directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.