News

Insufficient evidence: Construction worker freed of murder charge

Loop News

November 7, 2022 7:14 PM ET

2 mins read

Three months after being charged with murdering a man who accused him of trespassing on a property in Fullerswood district in St Elizabeth, a construction worker has been freed of the offence.

Nicholas Hutchinson, a 42-year-old resident of Arlington district in St Elizabeth, was charged with the murder of 60-year-old property caretaker, Oswald Valentine.

In August, he was granted $850,000 bail, with some strict conditions.

When the matter was called up in the St Elizabeth Parish Court on Thursday, the prosecutor admitted that there was insufficient evidence to prove the crown’s case and move forward with the matter.

As a result, Hutchinson was freed.

However, sources close to the police probe into the matter say Thursday’s decision by the prosecution was premature, as several evidentiary material were to be added to the case file.

The police reported that about 9am on July 8, Valentine accused Hutchinson of trespassing on his property.

The two men then got engaged in a physical confrontation, during which Hutchinson allegedly used a machete to chop Valentine several times.

Hutchinson left the scene and attempted to seek treatment for minor injuries, resulting in the police being alerted.

The construction worker then led the police to the property where the incident occurred, where Valentine’s lifeless body was seen with multiple chop wounds to the head.

Hutchinson was arrested and charged with murder on August 10.