In a significant legal ruling, the High Court has dismissed all charges against Akim Jaggernauth, a Tunapuna man who spent five months in remand. The charges, which included shooting with intent, possession of a firearm, and possession of ammunition, were dropped after Master Rehanna Hosein found that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him. The decision followed a sufficiency hearing, where the court identified serious gaps in the evidence presented. The prosecution’s case relied heavily on a civilian witness who claimed to have seen Jaggernauth holding an object resembling a firearm before hearing explosions. However, the court noted that no firearm, ammunition, or spent shells were recovered, and there was no ballistic, medical, or forensic evidence to support the allegations. Additionally, a police search of Jaggernauth’s home yielded no weapons or clothing described in witness statements. Master Hosein emphasized that the witness’s account was inconsistent and lacked credibility, as he admitted to never seeing Jaggernauth fire anything. She concluded that the evidence, even at its highest, could not support a conviction. The court ordered Jaggernauth’s discharge on all counts under Section 24 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act. Defence attorney Yves Jacques Nicholson welcomed the ruling, stating that it reaffirms the importance of sufficiency hearings as a procedural safeguard in the criminal justice system. He emphasized that no one should stand trial based on conjecture or inference without a proper evidential foundation.