A Jamaica Defence Force soldier who was accused of pulling his gun on a woman at a motel in Portmore, St Catherine, has been freed.
Private Tareq Watson was freed of charges of illegal possession of a firearm and assault, when he appeared before the Gun Court on Friday February 24.
At the trial, the prosecution led evidence that the Private went to a motel along on Port Henderson Road, popularly known as "Back Road" and sought the services of a masseuse.
It was reported that while the two were walking towards a room, the soldier pulled his firearm and pointed it at the masseuse.
She ran off and made an alarm.
A police team which was nearby responded and the soldier was taken into custody.
However, at the trial, defence attorney Peter Champagnie argued that there was no reason for his client to pull a gun on the woman after they had entered into an agreement
According to him, while the two were walking to the room, his client heard a strange voice in the background and realised that his gun was exposed.
He said, Private Watson was merely securing his weapon when the woman, saw it, panicked and ran off.
The defence team also pointed to the testimony of the woman who acknowledged that there have been a series of robberies in the area and that she was in a particular state of mind when she saw the weapon.
In summing up the case, the presiding judge argued that the prosecution had failed to satisfy the court that the soldier acted in an illegal manner and ordered his release
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