Maurice Prince, who was accused of murdering Smyth Street businessman O’Riley Small, was yesterday set free after a jury found him not guilty.
Prince, a resident of Riverview, Ruimveldt, was charged with murdering Small on March 19th, 2016. Small was shot several times outside of his Smyth Street, Georgetown home.
During the trial, the jury heard that that a jacket allegedly worn by Small’s killer was found in the backseat of the car belonging to Prince and that gunpowder residue was found on Small’s hands.
However, after close to four hours of deliberations, the jury returned a not guilty verdict.
The verdict was met with loud expressions of relief from family and friends of the accused, who filled the courtroom.
After exiting the courtroom, Prince was embraced by his mother and other relatives before leaving the courthouse.
Small had escaped death twice before after he was shot in separate attacks. In 2009, he was one of five persons who were shot after a football match at the National Gymnasium. He was also one of three persons who was shot at the National Cultural Centre in 2012, where a football tournament was being played.
