A man accused of committing a brutal murder in which the victim was beaten to death has walked free after prosecutors dropped the charge.

Khalif Williams, 24, had been charged with the murder of Quan-Marley Lowe in June 2021.

But during an arraignments hearing in Supreme Court yesterday, Puisne Judge Shade Subair Williams formally discharged the defendant after the Crown filed a nolle prosequi, abandoning the case.

Adley Duncan, an attorney with the Department of Public Prosecutions, told The Royal Gazette: “The prosecution was discontinued on the basis of recent information that impacted the presentation of the case, which had relied extensively on identification evidence.”

Mr Lowe, 33, a father of two, was set upon by a number of assailants at the junction of Cricket Lane and Scotts Hill Road in Sandys in the early hours of June 21, 2021.

A friend of Mr Lowe came to his aid and drove him to his home on East Dale Lane before calling the emergency services.

Mr Lowe was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, where he was placed in intensive care, but died from his injuries several days later.

Mr Williams, who was represented by attorney Charles Richardson, of Compass Law Chambers, had been on bail since his arrest in July 2021.

The Bermuda Police Service did not respond to requests for comment from this newspaper.

Charges were dropped against a second defendant during yesterday’s arraignment hearing.

Taaj Muhammad had denied charges of attempted murder, shooting with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and the use of a firearm to commit an indictable offence following an incident in June 2020.

The charges related to the shooting of Kenneth Wade on June 13, 2020.

Prosecutors did not say why a nolle prosequi was filed, although The Royal Gazette understands that Mr Wade did not wish to press charges.

Muhammad, from St George, is serving a life sentence for the 2018 murder of Ronniko Burchall.

Former Progressive Labour Party senator Curtis Richardson also appeared during yesterday’s hearing.

Mr Richardson, 48, has been charged with causing the death of Marco Warren by driving without due care and attention.

Mr Warren, a celebrated football player, was found on North Shore Road, just west of Trinity Church Road, Hamilton Parish, in the early hours of May 14.

The matter was adjourned until next February’s arraignments hearing.