Witness reveals deal with AG over robbery evidence

(CNS): A key witness and co-conspirator in the WestStar robbery which took place at the TV company’s George Town headquarters in May 2012 has revealed that he was threatened with transfer to HMP Northward where his enemies are all incarcerated if he refused to sign an offer regarding his evidence. Marlon Dillon who is the principal prosecution witness in the case against Andre Burton, David Tamassa, George Mignot and Ryan Edwards all of whom are charged with the robbery said the offer came from the Attorney General in January. He was told his family would be relocated outside of Cayman and he would receive a more lenient sentence for his part in the crime in exchange for his testimony.

Dillon told the court as the trial continued this week: "It was unfair for me to take the wrap for everything and so I trusted the police with my safety."

The court heard Dillon say that the interview where the deal was made was not recorded. He said that only his wife, police officer DC Rachel Johnson and two other RCIPS officers were present with him during the discussion.

As a result of the revelations the defence attorneys representing the four accused men pressed the crown for disclosure of the details of this private meeting allegedly held between the authorities and their witness. Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Trevor Ward QC said that efforts had been made to disclose all information received from the RCIPS and that the prosecution would make further enquiries to try to find out if there were any other documents or notes that had not been disclosed.

Following the evidence given by Dillon that he played only a minor role in the heist by giving the robbers a lift to the location, the defence attorneys pointed to significant inconsistencies in his evidence to the police and in court. He was challenged directly about his identification of the defendants by defence attorney Nick Hoffman, representing Burton, who has denied any part in the robbery. Dillon, Hoffman suggested, was meant to be the getaway driver which is why he had returned to Cayman from Jamaica on the day of the crime.

Hoffman suggested to the court that Dillon had planned to travel in convoy with Ryan Edwards, who allegedly confessed to the RCIPS about his part in the robbery and others who were not the defendants in the dock. The attorney said Dillon was not being truthful about the identity of the real robbers.

However, telephone cell site evidence put before the court on Thursday, recording calls placed and received by the defendants supported some of the evidence given by Dillon concerning their locations.

The trial which is being conducted as a judge alone hearing and presided over by visiting judge, Justice Alistair Malcolm will continue next week in Grand Court One.