BARBARA GAYLE, Staff Reporter

A woman who said a man hid his gun in her waistband on the approach of the police has been freed of illegal possession of a firearm.

The Crown offered no evidence yesterday against 57-year-old housewife, Franceta Edwards, of Canaan Heights,Clarendon when she appeared before Acting Supreme Court Judge, Bertram Morrison, in the Gun Court.

No evidence

Attorney-at-law Dwight Reece, who represented Edwards, had made several applications in the Gun Court for his client to be freed because there was no evidence to substantiate the charge against her.

Edwards, along with several other persons was on her way to the People's national Party conference on July 8, 2007, when police stopped the motorcar in which they were travelling at Ferry, St Catherine.

While searching the passengers in the car, Edwards was found with a gun in her waistband.

She told the police that on their approach, another passenger, Jeremiah Heath, had put the gun on her. Edwards and Heath, of York Town, Clarendon, were arrested and charged with illegal possession of firearm.

Statement to the police

Edwards' son, Seymour Smith, who was travelling in the car, gave a statement to the police in which he said that it was Heath who had put the gun on his mother.

Smith was subsequently shot and killed by gunmen while Edwards was shot and seriously injured while on bail.

Heath, who was on bail, has absconded, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.