Sentencing of Former MP Jolyan Silvera to Be Livestreamed Despite Gun Court Restrictions

The upcoming sentencing of former Member of Parliament Jolyan Silvera will be accessible to the public through a live broadcast, even though proceedings in the Gun Court are typically closed.

Chief Justice Bryan Sykes announced on Thursday that the March 6 hearing will be streamed via the judiciary’s official social media channels. The decision was disclosed during a media forum titled “A Conversation with the Judiciary” held in St Andrew.

According to the Chief Justice, the court determined that broadcasting the sentencing phase is manageable, as the matter has advanced beyond trial proceedings. He explained that only sentencing remains, making it easier to facilitate public access at this stage.

Silvera, who once represented St Mary Western for the People’s National Party, pleaded guilty on February 6 to manslaughter and to using a firearm to commit an offence. The charges stem from the November 10, 2023 shooting death of his wife, Melissa Silvera, at their Stony Hill residence in St Andrew.

He had originally been charged with murder.

In the weeks following Melissa Silvera’s death, initial reports suggested she had died from natural causes. However, an autopsy conducted approximately three weeks later revealed she had sustained gunshot wounds. Investigators recovered three bullet fragments from her body.

The high-profile case has also revived discussion surrounding the Gun Court Act. Enacted in the mid-1970s amid rising firearm-related crimes, the legislation established special courts designed to handle gun offences. A key objective of the law was to encourage witness cooperation by safeguarding identities in cases involving firearms.

Silvera’s sentencing is expected to draw significant public interest as the matter moves toward its conclusion.