By Latrishka Thomas
A man’s fortune was reversed yesterday as his 28-year prison sentence and conviction were overturned.
Tejah Armstrong, previously convicted of shooting with intent to murder and aggravated robbery on December 3, 2015, had been serving concurrent sentences of 28 years and 15 years imprisonment, respectively.
In October 2015, he stood before Justice Albert Redhead for shooting and robbing Erie Allen, a bus driver from Tyrells, who sustained injuries to his intestines and kidney as a result of the incident.
He was sentenced in February 2016 but filed a notice to appeal about two weeks later, citing several grounds.
Due to numerous adjournments, Armstrong’s appeal hearing was significantly delayed due to various reasons at the appellant’s request.
It wasn’t until 2022 that he secured legal representation from Wendel Alexander, who filed an amended appeal on October 12, 2023, with a total of 23 grounds.
Armstrong was behind bars serving his sentence for an offence committed in September 2012.
Sometime around 7pm that day, the complainant having left a friend’s home nearby, was accosted by two men in bushes, dressed in dark clothing. The assailants brandished a gun, shot him, and took his gold chain along with $50. The complainant identified the appellant and another individual he knew from the area as the perpetrators. Although he recognised the appellant, he claimed not to know his name but had seen him earlier that day when he caught his bus.
The appellant’s legal representation argued before the appellate court that the sentence was unduly harsh and excessive, citing unfair trial proceedings due to prejudice and a verdict unsupported by necessary evidence. The issue of identification emerged as a major concern, with conflicting testimonies during the trial regarding whether the complainant knew the appellant’s name at the time of the offense.
The lack of an identification parade during the investigation, coupled with evidence suggesting the appellant was with friends during the robbery, were key points raised in the appeal. The submission of 23 grounds persuaded the Supreme Court to quash the conviction and set aside the sentence.
As a result of this legal victory, after 11 years behind bars, Armstrong is now free from the confines of His Majesty’s Prison.
