Most witnesses in Kartel’s murder trial found

The majority of witnesses called by the court in the Vybz Kartel murder case have been found, the Court of Appeal has been told.

In the initial trial in 2014, the crown relied on a single eyewitness to prove its case. The witnesses was critical in linking Vybz Kartel in several voice notes in which he was reportedly heard issuing threats if he did not get back his "two new shoes".

Vybz Kartel, whose given name is Adidja Palmer, Shawn 'Shawn Storm' Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St John were all handed life sentences in April 2014 for the 2011 murder of Clive 'Lizard' Williams.

Williams, whose body has not been recovered, was allegedly murdered because of two missing guns.

The United Kingdom-based Privy Council, Jamaica's final appellate court, overturned the convictions on the grounds of juror misconduct. But the Privy Council sent back the matter to the Court of Appeal for a decision on retrial. On Thursday, the Court of Appeal warned that the case will not be sent back for a retrial if the witnesses are not available to testify.

"This Court will not be sending any case to Supreme Court again to sit and wait until witnesses are found," Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop cautioned on Thursday during a hearing to determine whether the men are to be retried.

Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Claudette Thompson, told the court that Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Jeremy Taylor, in an affidavit, had indicated that checks were made and most of the witnesses were found.

"If you think that is enough that is a matter for you," McDonald-Bishop said.

Another area of interest for the Court of Appeal was the possibility of finding seven unbiased jurors given the widespread publicity surrounding the case.

Prosecutor Janek Forbes argued that "It has not been established that it is impossible to find a panel of jurors from Kingston and St Andrew who are able to hear, consider and independently and impartially discharge their function".