THE four officers who were implicated in the shooting death of 18-year old Andre Thomas in the Grants Pen community last September, last Wednesday had their matter transferred to the Supreme Court for trial.

A nolle prosequi order was entered in the matter during a hearing at the Gun Court section of the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate's Court last Wednesday, after which the four accused men - Noel Bryan, Phillip Dunstan, Clayton Fearon and Omar Miller - were taken to the Supreme Court where the matter was again mentioned before high court justice Donald McIntosh.

The cops were granted bail in the sum of $1 million each and ordered to report to the commissioner's office once per week. However, due to the unavailability of their attorneys, the matter was rescheduled to be heard again.

Thomas' death on September 28 sparked much public outcry, especially among local human rights watchdog Jamaicans for Justice, who had claimed that the death was cold-*lo**ed murder.

The police have, however, denied this account of Thomas' death, saying that he was fatally shot during a shoot-out with the police.

The four accused men were initially also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice after being accused of tampering with the police service vehicle in which Thomas' body was transported to the hospital after he was shot. However, these charges were adjourned sine die during a prior hearing of the matter in the Half-Way-Tree court.