WESTERN BUREAU:

A murder accused incarcerated since November 23 had his jail time extended when a bail application was denied in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Myan Scarlett, 20, of Crawford Street, Mount Salem in Montego Bay, St James, is facing a charge of murder after he was allegedly fingered as one of three persons who shot and killed Wayne Stephenson of Vernon's Drive in the Mount Salem area.

The investigating officer informed the court that his alleged accomplices have been held and are now awaiting an identification parade.

victim of malice

The court heard that on September 8 Stephenson was at a shop on Crawford Street when the accused and two other men approached. It is said that they stood at the front of the shop and opened gunfire, hitting Stephenson. He was taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Scarlett's attorney, Jean Williams, told the court that her client might have been the victim of malice as one of the witnesses is related to a man now serving time for shooting Scarlett on a previous occasion.

However, Resident Magistrate's Winsome Henry said that the evidence against Scarlett was overwhelming as the witness has known and gave a fitting description of the accused man.

Stephenson is scheduled to return to court on January 8.