Chronic absenteeism of defence counsel derails Ranko Gang trial
Published:Wednesday | July 30, 2025 | 12:14 AMTanesha Mundle/Staff Reporter
A September 16 trial, which was scheduled for the alleged members of the Clarendon-based Ranko Gang, reportedly led by a police constable, Tafari Silvera, has been vacated due to the persistent absence of some of the defence lawyers.
Justice Leighton Pusey yesterday took the matter off the trial list after only three of the lawyers turned up for the pretrial hearing in the Home Circuit Court.
Silvera is among four constables charged alongside four civilians in the matter. Among the four lawyers absent was the legal representative for Silvera, who, Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Jeremy Taylor indicated, has been absent for some time.
Noting the continued absence of the lawyers, Pusey stated that it would not be wise to proceed to trial given that the attorneys are showing that they are not ready.
“We can’t set a matter that is going to take eight weeks or so, and the lawyers are not showing up,” he said.
Silvera, along with Constable Tehneil Francis, David Henry, and Tevin Henriquez, remains in custody after being remanded.
Bail was extended for the female accused, Jasette Brown. Bail was also extended for Constable Daneilio Barnes, Constable Rajay Morrison, and Ovilgo McKenzie.
ALLEGATIONS
Silvera was first arrested in June 2021 after allegations surfaced that he had hired two hitmen to murder a police informant from Clarendon. He faces conspiracy to murder charges alongside two civilians, Christopher Robinson and Mark Bennett, in a separate case.
The other defendants were arrested last March amid accusations of their involvement in the 27-member gang.
Reports initially indicated that eight police personnel were linked to the gang, with one fleeing the island when Silvera was apprehended. However, one cop was released after two complainants declined to cooperate with prosecutors regarding robbery allegations against him.
The Ranko Gang has been connected to 17 criminal incidents, including shootings, burglaries, robbery with aggravation, illegal possession of firearms, shop-breaking, conspiracy to murder, and abduction, allegedly committed across multiple parishes between 2019 and 2021.