FIVE men who spent more than 17 years awaiting trial for a murder in which the victim’s body was never found have been acquitted after a High Court judge upheld no-case submissions and directed a jury to return verdicts of not guilty.

On Thursday, Justice Maria Busby Earle-Caddle ruled that there was no case for Clive “Smallman” Charles, Joseph “Joe” Sammy, Quesi “Blacks” Charles, Jaasu “Fat Head” Gafoor, and Markus “Tack” Julien to answer in relation to the alleged murder of Maraval resident Qwasie Dowers.

The judge upheld no-case submissions made by the attorneys representing each of the accused and ordered that they be discharged. A sixth man, Roger “Kyo” Geeban, who was also charged with the murder, died in prison while awaiting trial.