Brothers freed of Manchester businessman’s murder
Published:Saturday | April 9, 2022 | 12:09 AMTamara Bailey/Gleaner Writer
MANCHESTER:
Two brothers, who were charged with robbery and the murder of 76-year-old Mandeville businessman Trevor Meikle in 2016, were freed when they appeared in the Manchester Circuit Court on Thursday.
Alwayne Edwards and Steve Edwards were arrested and subsequently charged after a cell phone, which was reportedly taken from Meikle during a robbery, was found in the possession of a female in St Mary. The woman told the police that she had received the phone from one of the accused, who had purchased it in Kingston.
Meikle, a block factory operator, was robbed and killed after dropping his daughter home from the airport in Ingleside, an upscale community on the outskirts of Mandeville, Manchester, on April 17, 2016.
It is reported that as a result of a power outage in the parish that night, the electronic gate at the house could not be opened when the Meikles arrived and the pedestrian gate had to be used.
Meikle and his daughter went inside and had returned to the vehicle when they were attacked.
His wife was also robbed.
However, neither she nor the daughter was harmed.
Attorney-at-law Peter Champagnie, who represented the men, confirmed that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a conditional nolle prosequi – meaning it will no longer prosecute – against them or a conditional discharge, on the basis that the witnesses were unavailable and could not be found.
He said that in the event that the witnesses become available, the prosecutors would then be at liberty to reinitiate the process.
Having been in custody for more than four years awaiting trial, Champagnie said that the men were relieved.
“It has been the position of both accused that they were innocent of allegations and [they] were looking forward to testing the credibility of the purported witnesses in this matter … . After being incarcerated for so long, they are essentially seeking to just spend time with their families and friends and recoup, reflect and have a quiet moment,” Champagnie told The Gleaner.
The men were also represented by attorney Kemar Robinson.