Judge worried over juries’ lack of confidence

Justice Rajendra Narine made it clear that he was not questioning the jury’s verdict, but explained that he has observed this trend in cases in which only police officers give evidence as opposed to cases in which both civilians and police are witnesses.

He said that while in this particular case he is not suggesting that the police did anything wrong, the trend of not believing police as witnesses was "worrying" him.

He lamented that this is saying something about the public’s confidence in the credibility of the police.

The jury of nine took about 90 minutes to reach its verdict in the trial of Nekyon Jones of Abby Pooja Street, Carenage.

Jones was charged with possession of a pistol and ten rounds of hollowpoint ammunition.

In his defence raised by his attorney Larry Williams, Jones claimed he was set up by the police. The State’s case raised by senior prosecutor Jeron Joseph was that PC Clinton Revas, responding to a wireless message in a Highway Patrol car, went to the Diego Martin Highway where he saw Jones with an object resembling a gun in his hand on March 27, 2003.

Jones began to run and the police gave chase on foot. Jones allegedly dropped the gun while jumping a wall.

He was arrested and the gun and ammunition retrieved.

He was handed over to PC Von Joseph of the West End Police Station.