Trial of former PNP MP Jolyan Silvera for wife’s murder delayed to February 2

The highly anticipated trial of former People’s National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament for St. Mary Western, Jolyan Silvera, charged with the 2023 murder of his wife, Melissa Silvera, has been delayed to February 2, 2026, in the Gun Court.

The delay comes after the defence requested the examination of critical ballistic evidence, which was initially opposed by the laboratory but later approved.

Silvera, 52, a businessman and former lawmaker, has been in custody since his arrest on January 18, 2024, following the fatal shooting of his wife in November 2023. Melissa Silvera was initially believed to have died in her sleep on November 10 at the couple’s Stony Hill, St. Andrew residence. However, post-mortem results revealed that she had been shot at least three times, prompting police to upgrade the case to a murder investigation. Silvera was officially charged on January 19, 2024.

The trial, originally set to begin before Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, will continue to be in-camera, as mandated by the Gun Court Act. Media representatives were not permitted to cover Monday’s proceedings. Justice Sykes explained that while he personally does not object to journalists being present, the law restricts public access unless Parliament amends the current provisions. “If the lawyers agree, then we can come to some accommodation, but for the time being it is what it is,” Sykes stated, urging the media to approach lawmakers about potential changes.

Jolyan and Melissa Silvera had four children together. Their firstborns were twins, Adam and Aden. Their third son, Justin, tragically drowned in the family’s swimming pool in 2017 at the age of two, and in 2019, they welcomed their youngest son, Axel.

The legal team representing Silvera includes King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie and attorney-at-law Patrice Riley. The case has drawn intense public attention, given Silvera’s political profile and the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death. The Gun Court indictment charges him with using a firearm to commit a felony under Section 14(2) of the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act, in addition to murder.

As the new trial date approaches, the nation awaits further developments in what remains a deeply high-profile case that has captivated public attention since the tragic death of Melissa Silvera.