‘Unnu mus’ let them go’

BY PAUL HENRY  Co-ordinator — Crime/Court Desk  henryp@jamaicaobserver.com

Court told Kartel juror promised to take care of colleagues if they acquit entertainer, co-accused

LIVINGSTON Cain, the juror accused of attempting to bribe the foreman to return a not-guilty verdict in the Vybz Kartel trial, is said to have approached other jurors.

This was revealed in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court where Cain was yesterday offered $750,000 bail and told to return to court next week Friday.

Cain has been slapped with five counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice and a count of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

According to a statement from one of the jurors that was read in court, Cain had told him that he could take care of him if he returned a not-guilty verdict in the matter.

“I will take care of you as long as you seh weh me a say. These men are promising entertainers and unnu mus’ let them go,” Cain reportedly told his colleague juror.

As the allegations were being read out, Cain sat looking on attentively.

Moments earlier, Valerie Neita-Robertson, who along with Dian Watson appear for Cain, told the court, “Our client denies the allegations”.

Neita-Robertson had earlier asked Senior Magistrate Lorna Shelly-Williams to forego the reading of the allegation, saying that she wanted the matter to “settle down” and “avoid the media attack”.

Cain was arrested last week Thursday following the guilty verdict of Vybz Kartel, Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Kahira Jones, Andre St John and the acquittal of Shane Williams in the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston.

Cain’s arrest came after a report was made to Justice Lennox Campbell of his alleged proposal to the foreman for a payment of $500,000 for a not-guilty verdict.

Cain is said to be the only juror of the 11-member panel who voted not guilty.

In outlining the allegations in court yesterday, Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn said that most of the other jurors recounted having conversations with Cain, who told them to find the men not guilty.

According to the allegations, the foreman used her BlackBerry telephone to record the conversation with Cain, which took place at the Supreme Court library. She had been reportedly informed by other jurors prior to the conversation that Cain had approached them.

It is further reported that Cain told the foreman that he realised that she had some influence over the other jurors and wanted her to convince them to return a verdict of not guilty.

Llewellyn, QC, told the court that the foreman was astonished at what was said and approached the accused after the initial conversation.

He told her that she would get the money by the Friday. Before reporting the matter, the foreman reportedly told all the jurors what Cain allegedly said and reminded the accused of the instructions from the judge to base their decision on the evidence presented.

The phone used to record the conversation has been taken by investigators along with two telephones belonging to Cain. One of the phones was seized from his home.

The prosecution wasn’t opposed to bail. Cain is to report to the police daily and was ordered to stay away from other jurors.