Collymore second murder trial pushed to September; Panton SSL case set for December

Omar Collymore’s second murder trial has been put off until September 18 after the Crown on Wednesday sought more time to finish its file. Collymore, already serving two life sentences for organising the January 2018 killings of his then wife, Simone Campbell-Collymore, and taxi driver Winston Walters, was due to face a fresh trial on an unrelated murder-related indictment.

He and four co-accused—Kerry Jonas, Dwayne Pink, Michael Adams and Shaquille Edwards—are charged with illegal possession of a firearm, shooting with intent and conspiracy to murder. The Crown was expected to outline its case that Collymore plotted to kill another woman with whom he had been involved. Pink, Adams and Edwards are already imprisoned with Collymore over the 2018 deaths; Jonas is charged for the first time and was not linked to those killings.

Campbell-Collymore and Walters were attacked on January 2, 2018 by gunmen on motorcycles outside the Forest Ridge apartment complex in Brett Hills, St. Andrew. She was shot 19 times and Walters five. The Crown argued Collymore ordered the attack to collect on her multi-million-dollar life insurance, of which he stood to receive 70 per cent and their two children 15 per cent.

Separately, a 48-hour curfew in parts of Lane Pass, Brooks Level and Airy Castle in the St. Andrew North division was extended from 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 15 to Friday, July 17. A second 48-hour curfew was imposed in the Kingston Eastern division for the same period, covering an area from Mountain View Primary School and Keen River Falls east to the Bull Bay 10-mile bridge, south along the coast to Flagstaff Circle, and west via South Camp and Vineyard roads. Residents in both zones must stay indoors unless authorised by the ground commander.

In the Supreme Court, Justice Simone Wolfe-Reece fixed December 10 for Jean Panton’s SSL fraud matter to return, with a renewed bail bid and a trial readiness hearing that day, and set February 10, 2027 for the start of her trial. An earlier May 4, 2026 trial date was vacated. Defence submissions on bail are due by the end of September and the Crown’s reply by the end of October. Panton, the former Stocks and Securities Limited client relations manager and sole accused on a 22-count indictment including forgery, larceny as a servant and dealing in criminal property, has been in custody since February 2023. She appeared in a wheelchair, took notes and was remanded. Lawyer Sylvester Hemmings complained that relatives can no longer bring food into the Women’s Correctional Facility, saying the change hurts Panton’s special diet needs: "When I go to the prison, what I see her eating I wouldn't give my cats." Among investors hit when the fraud surfaced in January 2023 was Usain Bolt’s company Welljen Limited, whose account reportedly fell from about J$2 billion (US$12.7 million) in October 2022 to about J$1.8 million (US$12,000); his lawyers say none of the money has been recovered.

At Gordon House, staff were told Clerk of the Houses Colline Lowe is on leave from July 10 to 24, 2026, with legislative counsel Ashley E. Manley acting on House of Representatives and administrative matters while Deputy Clerk Christopher Cowan handles Senate business. Anonymous parliamentarians and staff called the move unusual, saying the deputy clerk normally acts and that a junior counsel effectively overseeing her senior creates tension. "This is disrespectful to the deputy clerk," one employee said.