Former Jamaican MP Jolyan Silvera to stand trial for wife’s murder in 2026

Former People’s National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament for St Mary Western, Jolyan Silvera, has been remanded for trial in connection with the murder of his wife, Melissa. The trial is set to begin on January 12, 2026.

Silvera, a 52-year-old businessman, was arrested and charged with Melissa’s murder on January 18, 2024, and has remained in custody since. His trial date was confirmed on Wednesday when he appeared before Justice Vinette Graham Allen in the Home Circuit Court. A trial readiness hearing has also been scheduled for September 25, 2025.

Melissa Silvera was initially reported to have died in her sleep on November 10, 2023, at the couple’s Stony Hill, St. Andrew residence. However, police upgraded the case to a murder investigation after a post-mortem examination revealed she had been shot at least three times. Silvera was officially charged on January 19, 2024.

His attorney, King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie, previously emphasized that Silvera maintains his innocence. “He has maintained his position of innocence from day one. I am not saying that he is, because I understand that there is a report to that effect. No lawyer should ever really say that because if you are so certain, then you would be a witness,” Champagnie stated.