The men who are before the courts for the murder of Chinese businessman Teng Fei Cheng, 28, had hatched a plan that went badly wrong.
Fei Cheng, who was completing some invoices while he sat in his panel van at the back of his warehouse, in Brown’s Town, was shot dead, February 27.
Those initially charged were Orandy Mott, 23, merchandiser employed to Cheng; Vivian Campbell, 40, market vendor of Benin and Lebert Piper, 47, haggler also of Philadelphia, all of St Ann.
They were all charged with murder, conspiracy to murder, robbery and conspiracy to robbery. Police had said from early that they were searching for the trigger man in the plot.
Police sources say Mott was the ringleader and had conspired with the others to hurt but not kill the businessman and to rob him.
An undetermined amount of money was stolen and some cash was said to have been recovered after the murder.
Reports to North Coast Times were that the Chinese businessman whose family operates a wholesale, fixed business and as a distributor had just returned from a trip to Western Jamaica where he distributes poly bags (mainly black scandal bags). He was sitting in his van at the premises where he operates a storehouse for poly bags and other items. Police sources say he was doing some office work, including looking after invoices when he was attacked and stabbed.
He was pronounced dead at hospital. Within two days police had held the three who were interviewed before their attorneys. They were charged Thursday, of the same week.
There was more drama in the capture and arrest of Cheston Morrison
Reports are that a policeman from Brown’s Town had gone to visit a colleague in Manchester. The colleague was on duty and the shift was short. The St Ann cop reportedly offered and sought approval of the superior officer in Manchester to assist his colleague to work the shift.
While they were overseeing the feeding of prisoners the St Ann cop thought one of the men looked familiar. He couldn’t shake the image of the man’s face. Then it occurred to him that the prisoner was one the Brown’s Town police were seeking.
Later the St Ann police were alerted and Morrison was identified as the man they were seeking.
He was arrested and taken back to St Ann where he was charged.
Reports are that the men conspired to carry out a robbery on Fei Cheng. However, the plan was for him to be attacked in Trelawny or St James while on his delivery rounds.
However, the men who planned to do the robbery had to abort the plans as the places Fei Cheng stopped were too busy or crowded.
It is further alleged that when he came to the Brown’s town location the new plan was hatched. It’s not clear what role Mott played at that time but it is said he went to the store after conversing with Fei Cheng in the van.
Details up to now are not clear but police sources said the businessman was attacked and shot. At least three of those arrested told the police the plan did not include killing Fei Cheng.
