Jamaica: Former gang member says doctor was on gang’s payroll

(Jamaica Gleaner) The extent to which the Uchence Wilson Gang infiltrated the society was brought to light in court yesterday following the revelation that a medical doctor was among the professionals on its payroll.

The witness told the court that a Mandeville-based doctor was paid $90,000 to administer medical treatment to Wilson, who was suffering from gunshot wounds to the leg and back.

He said that the Mandeville-based doctor, though reluctant to treat Wilson, initially demanded $250,000 to carry out the procedure.

The witness said that the doctor was only able to remove the bullet from Wilson’s leg.

This, the witness said, followed failed efforts by accused Fitzroy Scott and Stephenson ‘Slim’ Bennett to contact a doctor in the Linstead area of St Catherine, with whom they were familiar.

The ex-gangster-turned-Crown witness was testifying in the trial for Wilson and his 23 alleged cronies at the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston.

The former gangster said that the men, as well as Wilson’s then girlfriend, accused Shantol Gordon, travelled back to Linstead when the doctor removed the bullet.

He said that he found out that Wilson was shot when he was called by Bennett to pick up gang members.

The witness said that on his arrival, he observed as a man only known to him as ‘Fuller’ and another man placed the wounded Wilson in the back of his car.

According to the former gangster, Wilson told him that he and Bennett went to rob a house in Guy’s Hill, St Catherine.

The witness said that according to Wilson, they jumped over a fence to enter the premises and then made their way into the house.

He further stated that Wilson said that while there, he saw light shining into the yard and concluded that it was the police.

The court then heard that Wilson told the witness that he was trying to leave the premises when his phone rang, alerting the police, who shot at him.

The witness told the court that Wilson said he sustained injuries while jumping over the fence to escape the gunfire.

According to the witness, the gang members sought medical assistance for their leader thereafter.

Wilson and his 23 alleged gang members are on trial for breaches of the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organisations) Act 2014, commonly known as the anti-gang legislation, for crimes allegedly committed between 2015 and 2017.

The trial has been adjourned until Monday.