The Jamaica College student charged in 2007 with his schoolmate's murder on the school compound has been freed.

A 12-member jury yesterday found him not guilty of killing 17-year-old Mortiman Golding.

It was alleged at the Home Circuit Court trial that the boys had a dispute on November 26, 2007. The accused, who was 16, used a knife to stab Golding in the stomach. He died en route to hospital.

Following the summation by Supreme Court Judge Kay Beckford, the jury retired for an hour and returned a not guilty verdict.

A former Jamaica College student who was the main witness said he was present when the accused stabbed Golding. He said at the time Golding had a ratchet knife in his hand but it was closed.

Under cross-examination, defence lawyer Peter Champagnie suggested to him that he did not witness the stabbing and that was why he did not give a statement to the police until two months later. When Champagnie asked the witness to look at certain sections of his statement to the police, he declined.

The accused said in his defence that someone told him that Golding, armed with knife, was coming in his direction. Another student gave him a knife and he said he tried to prevent the incident.

When Golding pulled a knife from his shoes, he said he stabbed him in self-defence.

The student who had allegedly given the accused the knife was also charged in connection with the murder. He was freed in 2009 after Champagnie made a no-case submission at the preliminary inquiry in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.