Former soldier, Pro League footballer freed of murder

FORMER soldier and promising Pro League footballer Ross Russell Jr was freed of murder yesterday after spending two years in prison.

Russell was discharged by acting deputy Chief Magistrate Nanette Forde-John after the Director of Public Prosecutions issued a notice of discontinuance of the charge.

The notice was issued after a no-case submission was advanced by Russell’s attorney Criston J Williams. He submitted that despite his client having seven alibi witnesses, the police failed to investigate, and still charged his client with murder. The lawyer argued there was insufficient evidence to support the prosecution’s case.

Russell was before the court along with Balondemu Julius, also a former soldier, for the June 5, 2016 murder of Selwyn Gaff in Chaguaramas.

Julius will return to court on September 7, when the magistrate will rule on his no-case submission.

According to reports, on the day of his murder Gaff and another man accompanied three men to hike from Diego Martin to Chaguaramas.

Russell Jr, the son of former national footballer Ross Russell Sr, and Julius were detained by the Defence Force and were handed over to homicide detectives after they were discharged from the army in June 2016.