WITNESS EXPLAINS How He Tricked Blackman
One of the former members of the “One Don” gang now turned state witness, yesterday gave a testimony revealing how he fooled the organization’s alleged leader Andre “Blackman” Bryan and the other gangsters of the group to think that he was taken into custody due to to the State Of Emergency that was executed in Montego Bay.
On a previous day of testimony, the witness stated that he was ordered by Bryan to collect some money in Denham Town, which was to be used to purchase a gun however, the witness had told the court that after purchasing the gun he had turned over the weapon to a Police Officer who he introduced to the other gangsters as his uncle, but was working undercover.
When questioned about the gun, the former gangster turned witness said he told Bryan that he had the gun hidden in his uncle’s roof in Kingston.
The witness had also given a statement on a rifle that was collected, telling the court that he had fabricated a story to Bryan, letting him know that he was going to have one of the defendants by the name of Dwayne Salmon otherwise called “Chemist” repair it. The witness said he readily volunteered to take the rifle to Salmon, since the alleged gang leader had been making complaints of needing more of that particular weapon, further stating he fetched it from the gutters, then turned it over to the authorities in addition with ammunition.
In the continuation of the testimony, the witness told the court that where the gun handed over to the undercover cop was concerned, he made up a story, to “Blackman ” telling him that he needed to borrow it to kill someone.
In an urge of curiosity, after hearing the testimony of the witness, Chief Justice Bryan Sykes inquired about the reactions of the other gang members when the weapons were turned over to the police, which the former member of the organization answered by letting the judge know they were more concerned about his well being and their safety, knowing that many of the gang members were being arrested.
The trial which involves 33 members of the feared Klansman Gang from St. Catherine is well on the way and on each court day, more interesting testimonies are being reported.
