Cop freed, another to stand trial for 2016 murder

A police officer was discharged and another has been committed to stand trial for a 2016 murder of a San Fernando man who was shot during a police exercise.

On Thursday, Senior Magistrate Jo-Anne Connor discharged PC Peter Farnum of the fatal shooting of Adalle Gilbert on October 20, 2016.

Farnum and PC Donald Snaggs were charged with Gilbert’s murder at Lawrence Street, San Fernando.

Snaggs was committed to stand trial at the end of the preliminary inquiry on Thursday.

The Police Complaints Authority (PCA), in a statement on Friday, said an investigation was started after several newspaper articles were published relating to Gilbert’s death at the hands of the police

The release said the police service investigators co-operated with the PCA's preliminary enquiries and the authority exercised its discretion to monitor and audit the conduct of the police to ensure there was an unbiased and thorough investigation.

The statement said as the matter progressed there were continuous dialogue and co-operation between the PCA and the police and after the investigations were completed, the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions gave instructions to charge the two officers for Gilbert’s murder.

Farnum, who was represented by attorneys Keith Beckles, Keon Beckles and Stephen Wilson, was discharged after Connor upheld his no-case submission.

Beckles argued that Farnum played no role in Gilbert’s death, further contending there was no nexus between his client and the ballistics report. He also summited there was no evidence to show that Farnum fired his gun in Gilbert’s direction.

In her ruling, Connor agreed there was no evidence that Farnum discharged his weapon.

At the inquiry, the prosecution tendered the statements of over 50 witnesses, and also relied on CCTV footage, crime scene investigators’ reports, and ballistic reports from the Forensic Science Centre.

In response to the no-case submissions advanced by both men on the issue of joint enterprise, the magistrate held the issue did not arise.