Two Trelawny men who were jointly charged with murder were acquitted on Wednesday after a lower court judge found that there was insufficient evidence to transfer the case to the higher circuit court for a trial.

Franklyn Brown and Nicholas Thomas were both freed following a committal proceedings hearing in the Trelawny Parish Court.

A parish court judge is empowered under the Committal Proceedings Act to conduct a hearing to examine written statements in a case to determine whether there is a prima facie case or sufficient evidence for an accused person to stand trial in the circuit court.