St James constable Andrew Wilson granted $1m bail in Latoya Bulgin murder case

Constable Andrew Wilson appeared for the first time today in the St James Circuit Court on a murder charge linked to the May 17 fatal shooting of Latoya 'Buju' Bulgin in Granville, St James, and was allowed bail of $1 million.

The murder indictment against Wilson reached the circuit court after transfer from the St James Parish Court under a voluntary bill of indictment.

High Court Justice Andrea Pettigrew-Collins heard that the Crown’s case file is still incomplete. Missing items include the record of Wilson’s interview, the post-mortem findings, and a biology certificate covering biological material recovered where the alleged shooting took place.

The court was further advised that Wilson’s lawyers — King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie and attorney Michael Hemmings — have not yet been given copies of three materials already held by the prosecution: the arresting officer’s statement, the forensic certificate, and CCTV recordings.

Seeking bail, Champagnie told the judge that Wilson had earlier secured $1 million bail with surety at the parish court and had kept to the reporting requirements while the case remained there.

Justice Pettigrew-Collins restored bail on those same conditions and directed that the absent materials be handed over by August 7.

A case-management hearing is listed for October 9.

Bulgin, who lived in Granville, was reportedly fatally shot during a demonstration staging concern over the death of her 17-year-old cousin. That relative had died a week before in an episode that also engaged the police.