Taxi operator freed of Manchester mob killing

The Manchester taxi operator who was implicated in the mob killing of another man in the parish in May was this afternoon freed of murder.

The charge against Orlando Powell was dismissed after parish judge Monique Harrison found that there was no evidence linking Powell to the murder. 

The victim, 62-year-old Chieftin Campbell, was attacked and beaten by a mob in Mandeville on May 6 after being pointed out by an unknown individual as someone who had allegedly robbed a man some time ago. 

Campbell, who was found with a bloody nose amid a crowd at approximately 2 p.m. along Manchester Road by police, later succumbed to his injuries   

An autopsy confirmed that Campbell died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and neck.  

Following an investigation, Powell was arrested and charged and a committal hearing was scheduled for today in the Manchester Parish Court. 

“I made submissions on behalf of Mr Powell that there was no prima facie case, the Crown responded and the judge found that, in fact, there was no prima facie case and as such, she was not going to have the matter committed to the circuit court and the defendant was discharged," said Yolanda Kiffin, the attorney who represented Powell.

A prima facie case is one in which the evidence produced is sufficient to enable a decision or verdict to be made unless the evidence is rebutted. 

In the meantime, Kiffin said the matter was transferred to the Coroner's Court for an inquest to be held, which is set for February 2, 2023. 

“Normally, a coroner's inquest is held when it is not sure what or who is responsible for the death of an individual,” she explained. 

- Tanesha Mundle

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