‘I fear no one but God’

GLENROY LONDON praised God and his attorney after he was acquitted yesterday of the murder of Cedros gardener Clifford Mark.  London was all smiles as he strolled out of the San Fernando High Court hand-in-hand with his common-law wife, Geeta Denise Maharaj. It was his first taste of freedom since being incarcerated, after his arrest on December 22, 2000.

London said he was looking forward to getting his life back on track and will be returning to running a parlour business with his wife.  “I used to sell drugs but I live a completely different life now,” he told reporters. After a three-hour summary of the evidence of the case by trial judge Justice Melville Baird, the jury retired for just 45 minutes before  returning with the not-guilty verdict. London, 43, a labourer of Point Ligoure, was pointed out by the State’s star witness Byron Vespry as the main participant in Mark’s murder on November 14, 2000.  Vespry who gave evidence that he and London were among a gang that killed Mark in the Cedros forest, was granted immunity after agreeing to testify for the prosecution.

Pathologist Dr Hughvon Des Vignes said the deceased had suffered extensive bleeding to the skull and brain, and five of his ribs were fractured. The cause of death was ascertained as blunt cranio-cerebral traumatic force, with evidence of ligature strangulation. London, however, maintained his innocence throughout the trial. Maharaj, his wife, testified that London was at their home at Alexander Street at the time he was accused of participating in Mark’s murder.  London said he did not have any fears as he walked out of the court a free man. He stated, “I fear no one. The only one I fear is God.” Acting Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Honore Paul prosecuted the case.