Attorney-at-law Rita Allen-Brown is celebrating a recent victory in a Supreme Court case in which her Guyanese client, Akeisha Piggot was freed of gun charges stemming from an August 2023 incident in which her boyfriend, Orane “Thug Fashion” Wright was shot dead by the police.

The Guyanese was found not guilty on June 28.

The trial began on May 8.

Piggot, who was travelling with Wright in a motor vehicle at the time of the incident, also sustained gunshot wounds. The shooting took place on Knightsdale Drive in St Andrew.

“On August 17, 2023, my client was a passenger travelling in a Mark X motor vehicle, of which Wright was the driver. On reaching Knightsdale Drive the same Mark X was intercepted by police from the Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Division. Explosions were heard and my client along with Mr Wright were found suffering from gunshot injuries. My client was taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where she was admitted, while Mr Wright died from his injuries,” Piggot’s attorney said.

“The police told the court that later that day, they obtained a search warrant to search my client’s apartment and allegedly found a firearm along with ammunition. My client was subsequently charged with possession of a prohibited weapon and unauthorised possession of ammunition. It must be noted however, that at the time the police allegedly carried out the search, neither my client nor any other occupant of the apartment were there. There were no independent witnesses and there was no one representing my client to witness the search,” the attorney continued.

Allen-Brown pointed out that the court found that the main issues for adjudication was whether prosecution witnesses were being truthful and whether the circumstantial evidence pointed solely to my client’s guilt.

“The court found that circumstantial evidence adduced by the prosecution does not point solely to my client having knowledge, custody and control of the firearm allegedly found in the apartment. The court therefore felt that the elements of possession had not been made out and that the prosecution failed to discharge its burden. As a result, my client was found not guilty,” said Allen-Brown.

At the same time, the court found that the entry and search of Piggot’s apartment in her absence was not illegal, though it was irregular.

“I found the trial of this matter to be a remarkable one. We are happy that the matter has come to an end and my client can now go back to living her normal life,” Allen-Brown told Observer Online.

-Jason Cross