Murder charges withdrawn against four defendants

The Director of Public Prosecutions has withdrawn charges of murder against four men. This afternoon Darren Banks, Joel Bishop, Joseph Bishop, and Akeem Logan-Gotoy appeared before Magistrate Sharon Fraser where they were informed of their good fortune. According to Fraser, while the murder charges have been dropped, she was not certain if the D.P.P. wanted the conspiracy and abetment to murder counts to remain. She assumed he did and granted the men bail of six thousand dollars, which they met. They are to return to court on March twentieth. The charges against the men are in connection with the September 2005 murder of Sherwin Requeña and attempted murder of Dona Magdaleno Cayetano. Those charges, along with dangerous harm, still stand against Evan Neal and Edward Lord, who were arrested along with the four. Requeña was gunned down at the corner of Zacaranda and Oleander streets as he stood talking to Cayetano, his neighbour.