The Court of Appeal yesterday upheld the murder convictions of two men.
Meteor Bodie and Darius Williams were jointly charged with the 2014 murder of Ricardo Johnson and they were convicted of his murder on July 25, 2015.
Following a sentencing hearing, Bodie was sentenced to 50 years’ imprisonment and Williams was sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment in 2016.
Both men filed the appeals against their convictions long after the 21-day limit and, consequently, sought permission to appeal outside of the prescribed period.
In separate judgments, the court dismissed their appeals and affirmed their convictions and sentences.
The prosecution’s case against Williams relied on the record of interview and his statement to police, where he said that he witnessed Bodie stab Johnson to death.
The prosecution also relied on a report from ICS, which said that GPS tracking from his ankle bracelet placed him in the area when the murder occurred.
Williams said his interview and police statement were obtained as a result of him being tortured by the police.
He explained his presence in the area where Johnson was murdered by saying that he was getting his ankle bracelet charged and that he was in the bushes relieving himself after his stomach had “broken down”.
Bodie, who was also placed at the scene of the crime through GPS data from his ankle bracelet, testified that he and Williams went to Johnson’s home to steal. While there, he said he saw Williams stab Johnson.
The Court of Appeal refused both men permission to appeal their convictions out of time and affirmed their convictions and sentences.
