The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN appeared in Magistrate's Court yesterday accused of being the culprit behind a homicide that occurred on the recent Emancipation Day holiday.

Franklyn Johnson, 30, of Kemp Road stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt facing a murder charge concerning the August 7 shooting death of Keno Hepburn.

However, there appeared to be confusion at the arraignment as he and 36-year-old Stephen Robinson, also of Kemp Road, were charged with causing grievous harm to the same victim on the same date.

After an hour's recess was granted to the police prosecutor to verify if this was the case, the charge remained and both Robinson and Johnson pleaded not guilty to causing grievous harm.

They are scheduled to return to the Magistrate's Court on September 13 for a fixture hearing concerning the matter.

As for Johnson, however, the murder charge he faces concerning Johnson's killing will be fast-tracked to the Supreme Court on October 11 through the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment.

Before the two were remanded to the Department of Correctional Services to await trial, Robinson and Johnson's respective lawyers, Calvin Seymour and Domek Rolle raised complaints concerning an alleged incident while their clients were in police custody.

The defence attorneys claimed that sometime between August 11 and 12 at the Wulff Road police station, their clients were in holding cells when they observed two civilian women, accompanied by police officers, who appeared to be looking at them.

Realising what was happening, the women were taken away, Mr Seymour said, claiming this took place before an official identification parade.

The lawyers both raised the matter indicating that it would become an issue at trial.

The chief magistrate made a note of their concerns before remanding the two men into custody.