Christopher Thomas, Gleaner Writer

Western Bureau:

The highly publicised Irwin Point, St James, rape case is now taking shape as the defence team expects to have the prosecution's witness list by next Tuesday.

Kerron and Sheldon Brissett, the men charged with rape arising from the incident in which five females, including an eight-year-old, were abducted from their home and raped, had their bails extended when they appeared in the Western Regional Gun Court yesterday.

In their previous court appearance, on February 14, the brothers, who are also facing charges of wounding with intent and illegal possession of firearm arising from the incident, had reason to be pleased as the results of DNA tests excluded them from samples investigators had collected at the crime scene.

However, the prosecution told the court that despite the DNA revelation, it still intends to take the case to trial.

Witness list

Attorney-at-law Lambert Johnson is representing the brothers.

"The case was set for next week Tuesday," said Johnson, in reference to Monday's court proceedings. "It was primarily (done) so that the prosecution can serve me with the indictment (witness list) that they're going to proceed with."

On the night of the incident, the five females were abducted from their home and taken to a nearby open lot, where they were robbed and raped. The eight-year-old was hospitalised on account of her ordeal.

Two days after the incident, Police Commissioner Owen Ellington and Chief of Defence Staff Major General Antony Anderson met with National Security Minister Peter Bunting and a decision was taken to deploy specialist investigators to join the St James police in their probe.

Following a period of investigation into the incident which attracted national condemnation, including a statement of dismay from Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, the Brissett brothers were taken into custody and subsequently arrested and charged.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com