Brathwaite admits firearm offences

A Foul Bay, St Philip man has been remanded to Dodds Prison pending sentencing after admitting to possessing and using an unlicensed firearm in a shooting incident in Silver Sands nearly three years ago.

Rico Jamal Brathwaite asked to be re-arraigned in the No. 4 Supreme Court and admitted to possessing a 9mm calibre firearm and using it without a valid licence on November 9, 2023.

Police were on duty at the community outpost in Silver Sands, Christ Church, when they heard two loud explosions outside the caravan at around 3:45 p.m., the court heard.

An officer looked outside and saw Brathwaite and another man running towards the park. The other man drove off in a black Toyota Axio parked nearby.

Detectives obtained CCTV footage showing the two men travelling to the area and getting out of the vehicle. They walked to a nearby convenience store diagonally opposite the police outpost.

The footage showed the other man removing a dark-coloured firearm from his waist and handing it to Brathwaite, who took the weapon, walked towards the camera, pointed it eastwards up the street and fired several shots.

He then ran in the opposite direction towards the park, still holding the pistol, while the other man drove away towards St Christopher.

Brathwaite was arrested the following day. He identified himself to officers in the footage and named the other man. The firearm was not recovered.

Accepting the plea on the State’s behalf, acting Senior State Counsel Paul Prescod asked Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell to have Brathwaite remanded pending sentencing.

He said: “Some of these matters are where the State’s mind is thinking of a fine, but because this is one which involves use of a firearm and possession of a firearm, which falls beyond the threshold of simple possession, it is at this time I am asking that, based on the type of offences that we are dealing with, I am asking that the now-convicted man be remanded into custody pending sentencing.”

Defence attorney Shadia Simpson requested a report on the time Brathwaite had spent in custody.

The case continues on December 18.

(JB)