A 37-year-old farmer was freed of a murder charge in the St Thomas Parish Court on Monday.

Marvin McEwan, from the said parish, was allowed to walk free after being before the court for more than a year, arising from a domestic dispute between himself and his now-deceased neighbour, Kuwaite Wright.

Allegations are that on November 9, 2023, a resident heard Wright shouting out that someone was about to kill him. About an hour later, the resident exited his home and saw Wright’s lifeless body with what appeared to be chop wounds.

Before the arrival of the lawmen on the scene, McEwan went to the police station and made a report that he was attacked by the now-deceased and in self-defence, he chopped him.

McEwan eventually led the police to the location of the body, where two machetes were seen.

McEwan was represented by King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie and Patrice Riley, who submitted from the outset that in the absence of an eyewitness, the allegations as they were did not disclose a case for the accused to answer a charge of murder.

In a detailed submission, Riley submitted in court that there was no evidence to displace self-defence. The senior parish judge agreed with the submission, and McEwan was freed.