ST JAMES, Jamaica — A man charged with the 2022 murder of 29-year-old Kemar Wilson in Catherine Hall, St James, was denied bail because he was deemed a flight risk after reportedly providing a false identity.

The defendant, Saroyan Brown, appeared in the St James Parish Court on Friday.

During Friday’s sitting, Brown appeared in court wearing a neck brace. His lawyer, Khadine Colman, alleged that he was beaten by the police.

As a result, presiding judge Natiseha Fairclough-Hylton made an order for him to get medical attention.

During a bail application, Colman stated that Brown was not in the area at the time of Wilson’s murder. She also indicated that he had left the parish because of threats to his life.

However, the Crown objected to granting bail on the grounds that the police issued a release identifying Brown as a person of interest on the JCF’s ‘Wanted Wednesdays’ feature. Additionally, they highlighted the fact that Brown was discovered in St Thomas and therefore, there was concern about him being a potential flight risk.

The Crown further argued against granting bail, citing that Brown initially gave his name as ‘Franklin Allen’.

Brown was remanded. The matter will be mentioned again on May 24.

According to the police, on August 5, 2022, Wilson and other persons were at a shop at about 10:00 pm when gunmen opened fire at him.

Another person, who was on his verandah in the vicinity, was also hit.

After the gunmen escaped, the two wounded persons were transported to hospital, where Wilson was pronounced dead and the other person admitted.