‘Chiefman’ free to walk from two murder charges

After spending the last eight months remanded in custody, Devon ‘Chiefman’ Charles was embraced by a small group of friends who celebrated his release outside the Serious Offences Court yesterday.

The court heard that Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Colin Williams discontinued two murder charges against Charles by letter.

Charles was first charged on July 26, 2016 for the Thursday, July 23, 2015 murder of 39-year-old Andre ‘Sweat’ Chewitt/Durham.

Durham was shot five times (once in the head and four times in the back) sometime after 8 p.m. in front his home at Upper New Montrose/Mon­key Hill. Eye witnesses had alleged that there were two gunmen with two different calibre weapons who fled the scene on foot after shooting the dreadlocked man.

On November 8, 2016, Charles was further charged with the September 15, 2015 shooting murder of Andre ‘Judge’ Garraway/Bowens. Reports are that Bowens sustained gunshot wounds about his head and body by an unknown assailant – he subsequently died on the spot.

Speaking with SEARCHLIGHT, Charles’ lawyer Grant Connell commended senior prosecutor Adolphus Delpesche for not proceeding with the matter.

He, however, said that his client’s freedom had been denied because of an “arrest of convenience.”

“I have raised the issue before that it is unfortunate that a citizen’s right to freedom should be denied because of these arrests of convenience, which are only made to give the public the impression that police are being effective.”

Connell said these arrests only add to the growing number of unsolved crimes.

“Maybe it’s time they tap on some of the real experienced police officers that they have put out to pasture and remove some of the square pegs in round holes that are failing their duty to the public,” he added. (AS)