(Jamaica Observer) THE second witness in the Uchence Wilson Gang trial testified yesterday that two of the series of robberies that he participated in were coordinated from behind bars.
The second witness, who, like Witness One, is a former member of the notorious gang, testified yesterday via videolink from a remote location, giving details of a number of robberies which he said he participated in.
The witness, who is being referred to as Witness Two by the Jamaica Observer because of a court order instructing that all witnesses remain anonymous, during his evidence-in-chief testified that gang member Fitzroy Scott orchestrated two robberies while he was in jail, using a cellphone which was sneaked into the lock-up.
Witness Two told the court that Scott met a man while he was in lock-up who told him about a house in Clarendon that they could rob. The court was later told that prior to the robbery Scott told them that they should not harm the girl in the house because she was the man’s girlfriend.
The witness told the court that he, along with some of the accused gangsters, had previously planned to carry out a robbery in St Mary but instead decided to rob the house in Kellits, Clarendon, after contact was made by Scott.
According to the witness, reputed gang leader Uchence Wilson, otherwise called “Terrence”, told him that they were going to St Mary and that he should meet him in Linstead, St Catherine. He said when he arrived in Linstead, Wilson called him and asked him for his location.
The witness said he was not familiar with the street so he waited there. By this time, he said Wilson came in a white “old-shape” Corolla motor car. “Terrence pulled the door and say ‘a me’,” the witness said, adding that he went in, and sat beside gang member “Bella” in the back. He said that Wilson, who was sitting beside “Zeeks”, who was driving, told him to turn off his cellular phone.
“He said him no want the police track the phone or anybody because the police were looking for them at the time,” he said.
By this time, the plan had changed.
The witness said Wilson told him that they were going to Kellits instead because “Slim” and “Brinks” – gang members – were waiting for them there. He said they went to a bar where they met Slim and Brinks, waited for a little bit before heading to the location of the planned robbery.
The witness told the court that when they reached close to the location, Slim stopped in front of a church and told him and Brinks to wait there while he took Wilson to the location.
Witness Two said he was then instructed by Wilson to “fly the car bonnet” to give the impression that something was wrong with the vehicle.
After waiting for close to a hour, he said, Wilson told Brinks to join them around the house while they waited on the occupants of the house to arrive.
However, he said Brinks refused the order. He told the court that he went instead, after Brinks explained that he was from the area.
He said the location was then pointed out to him. He testified further that they drove to a canefield where Wilson told Zeeks to retrieve the guns from the motor car.
“He pulled out the front part of the car where the AC blow from and pushed him hand down there to his shoulder and took out a gun and gave it to Terrence (Wilson). Him (Zeeks) push down him hand again and took out a gun and gave it to Terrence, who gave it to Bella,” Witness Two said.
The witness said the men, except him, changed their clothes in front of the canefield before heading towards the house.
Outlining how the robbery unfolded, he said the men walked around the house seeking a way to enter as they awaited the arrival of the occupants. He told the court that one of the occupants drove a white Toyoto Axio.
While they were there waiting they saw a neighbour, who also had a Toyoto Axio, brushing his teeth outside.
He said Slim and Wilson held the man and took him inside his house. At the same time, he said he was called and handed the key to the motor car.
“Slim came out and said he was going to hold on to the man until his neighbour reach home,” he testified.
During yesterday’s afternoon session of the trial, Witness Two said he was given instructions to drive the neighbour’s vehicle down the road and take the toll road. He said he was told that someone would contact him and meet him in Angels, St Catherine. He said when he reached Angels a man descended from the hill.
He further testified that he came out from the driver’s seat and gave the man the car who drove him home. When he reached home he was contacted by Slim who cursed him and told him that had not been the plan and that he should have stayed with the car until they came for him.
He said shortly after, Wilson called him and told him that police had found the car and they also had the other car. The next day the witness said Wilson and Zeeks visited him and told him about the robbery.
According to the witness, he was told that they kicked off the girl’s door, went inside and gave her two “soft box” to give the impression that she did not know anything about it, then they took the car.
Outlining the other robbery that he described as the “farm robbery”, Witness Two said they were told that Scott met a friend in jail who told him that he knew of somebody he could rob.
He said Slim, Wilson and “Judge”, another member of the gang, came to his house and asked if he knew of “Bun Shop”. He said that was when the accused men told him that they wanted to go there and he drove in a rented Toyota Yaris motor car to the area, in search of the man who was released from prison.
Going after directions that Scott, himself still in jail, had given them, he said he knew how to get in the area; however, he was not familiar with the place.
“They drove around looking for the description Scott gave because they couldn’t get Scott phone in jail,” he said, admitting that they got lost a few times before gang member Devin recognised a road that he had gone to before.
He said when they went on the road they saw a huge house on a hill. He said they drove past the house that had boxes and barrels in the car porch. They left the area and returned the same night. However, Witness Two said he did not accompany them. He told the court that when they called him about 8:00 pm Wilson called him and told him to get ready and meet him by the road.
“I locked off my phone and went to bed,” he told the court. When the prosecution asked him why he did so, he said, “Mi never feel up to it that night.”
He further explained that the following morning when he turned on his cellular phone he saw a number of missed calls from Devin, Slim and Wilson. Later that day he met with Wilson in Bog Walk who told him how they executed the robbery.
He testified that Wilson told him that Slim cut off the grille and he along with Slim and Judge entered the house where he saw a man and a woman in bed. He said Wilson told him that the man had attacked him and Slim shot him before going outside, where they saw a “Sponge Bob” bus parked.
The witness said the men loaded the boxes and barrels and drove the bus away.
The reputed leader, 28-year-old Uchence Wilson, and 23 alleged gang members, including four women and a police corporal, are being tried for various offences under the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organisations) Act, commonly referred to as the Anti-Gang Legislation, and also for offences under the Firearms Act.
Yesterday all the accused, except Shadday Beckford, were further remanded.
