A St Michael man who maintained his innocence throughout his trial on a robbery charge was acquitted today by a jury. Kedar Ondre Holloway was accused of robbing SurePay cashier Stacia Williams at gunpoint in December 2013 at Carlton Supermarket in Black Rock and taking $816.72 belonging to Massy Technologies.
The nine-member jury was unanimous in its decision to free the young man of Block 2D Sunnyside Court, Deacon’s Farm, returning the verdict just one hour after leaving their seats to deliberate.
“Thank you. I appreciate it very much,” Holloway said as he exited the No. 2 Supreme Court after Justice Randall Worrell informed him that he was free to go.
When the trial started in late November evidence given by the SurePay cashier revealed that she was working the evening shift at Carlton A1 Supermarket in Black Rock, St Michael when she looked up around 6 p.m. and saw a man wearing black, with a mask, helmet and gloves on his hands.
“He shoved a gun in my face and told me to “put the f…ing phone down . . .
“He put a blue bag through the hole and he told me ‘put the money in it’. What money I had I put in there . . . and he told me to throw the bag to him and I pelt it at him. He put the gun more in my face . . . I drop to the ground.
“I did not see the person’s face,” she disclosed during her testimony.
Holloway was arrested by police in January the following year. But he told the jury under oath that police had not only arrested the wrong man but had mistreated him as well.
“I am not the man that claims were made about stating that he robbed SurePay at Black Rock. I did not enter the SurePay with a gun, helmet nor mask. I did not enter SurePay period! I had no reason to be there,” Holloway said.
He said when police “picked” him up on January 28, 2014 he was taken to the Black Rock Police Station where he was “beaten over and over”.