A TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD man was on Friday freed of charges of illegal possession firearms and ammunition and discharging a loaded firearm at an off-duty officer by Magistrate Allen Wilson at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Collis Collison of South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, had the three charges against him dismissed due to the prosecution’s lack of evidence. Collison was represented by Attorney-at-Law Melvin Duke.

The first charge had alleged that on October 7, 2015 at Kitty, Georgetown, Collison discharged a loaded firearm at Prem Narine, a detective attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), with intent to maim, disable, disfigure or cause him grievous bodily harm.
It was alleged that on the same day at Kitty, Georgetown, Collison had a .38 revolver in his possession, when he was not the holder of a firearm licence.
Further, it was also alleged that on October 7, at the same location, he had three rounds of .38 ammunition in his possession.

In May, 2011, Collison was also charged with the January 2011 murder of Linden businessman Albert Joseph, called “Bolo.” Joseph was shot during a robbery at his Sunflower Street, Linden, business place. He was freed of that murder charge in November 2014.
Also in May 2011, Collison was placed on two armed robbery charges which alleged that at Dageraad Avenue, Linden, being armed with a gun, he robbed Nigel Hescott and Rajindra Tiwari of one gold chain each valued $160,000 and $250,000 respectively.
Collison’s co-accused, Shawn Thom, was also jointly charged for the said offence and was remanded but died while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in March 2016.

Thom was shot to his right foot during a confrontation with police.
The father of three during the prison unrest at the Camp Street prison complained about feeling weak and was rushed to the GPHC. However, he died at the hospital with officials unclear about the cause his death.
According to reports, the off-duty cop had gone to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) to pick up a relative when he noticed a yellow IST following him all the way from the airport. It was reported that the rank contacted his colleagues and informed them about what he had noticed.

The police turned up close to the rank’s home in Kitty and waited for him to arrive from the airport. When the rank arrived in front of his yard, a car with three men stopped a corner away from his home.
Two of the gunmen reportedly exited the vehicle and were liming at a bridge, while one remained in the car. The gunmen and the police exchanged fire, which left both bandits injured.