A man was freed of gun and rape charges when he appeared in the Gun Court Division of the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston yesterday, after his attorney Charles Ganga-Singh made an application before Justice Gloria Smith.

Twenty-one-year-old André Beckett of Linstead, in St Catherine, was released after the Director of Public Prosecution entered a nolle prosequi quashing the case against the man. A nolle prosequi is a legal term which means one is unwilling to pursue a case.

Ganja-Singh made the application to have the case dismissed after the complainant failed to turn up for the trial which was scheduled to start in December last year.

Beckett was released on bail last month after Ganga-Singh made a bail application.

The prosecution is alleging that Beckett kidnapped a woman at gunpoint and raped her in December last year. She reported the matter and Beckett was arrested and charged.